30 Drone Aerial Photo Contest Shots That Rival Iron Man’s Viewhttp://www.lovethesepics.com/2015/07/30-drone-aerial-photo-contest-shots-that-rival-iron-mans-view/
2015-07-23T20:17:31ZDronestagram? These fabulous bird's eye shots were but a few of the entries from the more than 5,000 drone aerial photos submitted by professional and amateur drone photo enthusiasts in Dronestagram's 2015 Drone Aerial Photography Contest. Thank you to all the photographers who captured these shots by potentially risking their ludicrously expensive drones and cameras. [30 Drone Aerial Photos]
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Moonrise over Old Man of Storr. The Storr, according to Wikipedia, “is a rocky hill on the Trotternish peninsula of the Isle of Skye in Scotland. The area in front of the cliffs of the Storr is known as the Sanctuary. This has a number of weirdly shaped rock pinnacles, the remnants of ancient landslips.” The Storr is prime example of an ancient massive landslide, “the longest such feature in Great Britain.” Isle of Skye added, “The ‘Old Man’ is a large pinnacle of rock that stands high and can be seen for miles around;” the Storr is “one of the most photographed landscapes in the world.” Photo #2 by renaudderosa

The ruins of Kyleakin Castle are on the east coast of the Isle of Skye. The castle is an ancient seat of the Mackinnon clan and is known by many names such as Castle Moil, Castle Maol, Dun Akyn, Dunakin Castle Dun Haakon and Castle Dunakin. What’s left of the castle structure is believed to date back to the late 15th or early 16th century. Wikipedia noted that “in 1949 and 1989 parts of the ruins broke away in storms. The remaining ruins have been secured to prevent further deterioration.” Photo #3 by Oliver Clarke

Green of Quiraing. Trotternish, located on the northernmost peninsula of the Isle of Skye, is one of 40 National Scenic Areas in Scotland. “One of its more well-known features is the Trotternish landslip, a massive landslide that runs almost the full length of the peninsula, some 19 miles (30 km). The landslip contains two of Skye’s most famous landmarks: the Old Man of Storr, an isolated rocky pinnacle, and the Quiraing, an area of dramatic and unusual rock formations. The summit of The Storr, on whose slopes the Old Man of Storr is located, is the highest point of the peninsula. While boasting many vertical heights, the area is mainly unsuitable for rock-climbing due to the friable rock.” Photo #4 by Joe Dunckley

Quiraing Tree, Isle of Skye. According to The Skye Guide, “The Quiraing is awesome. It is supernatural. It is a place of wonder and amazement. It is outstanding by any measure. If you are fit enough to walk the narrow path and scramble up and down the steep slopes – you must do it. To visit Skye without experiencing the Quiraing seems unthinkable. Go on a bright and clear day for views of the Outer Hebrides and the Scottish mainland, framed by the pinnacles, cliffs and great buttresses. Go on a wet and windy day to feel your spine tingle as the clouds and mist swirl around you in this unreal and menacing landscape. Whatever the weather, you’ll not forget the experience.” Photo #5 by Chris Golightly

Famous Fairy Pools. The Isle of Skye explained, “At foot of the Black Cuillins near Glenbrittle are the Fairy Pools, beautifully crystal clear blue pools on the River Brittle. These famous pools entice visitors from all over the world, as they make some great ‘Wild Swimming’ for those brave enough to enter the cold water. For the less adventurous these magical Fairy Pools make some fantastic photos.” Photo #6 by Ian Hex

Kilt Rock near the Ellishadder township has “spectacular sea-cliffs 180 ft (55 meters) tall, made of dolerite rock strata in many different colors.” Kilt Rock is said to resemble a kilt, with vertical basalt columns to form the pleats and intruded sills of dolerite forming the pattern. Photo #7 by Marcus Pollio

Looking out from The Quiraing. Parts of the distinctive Quiraing “landscape have earned particular names. The Needle is a jagged 120-foot (37 m) high landmark pinnacle, a remnant of landslipping. Northwest of it is The Table, a flat grassy area slipped down from the summit plateau, with vistas of the Torridon Hills and the mountains of Wester Ross. Southwest is the Prison, a pyramidal rocky peak which can look like a medieval keep when viewed from the right angle – the ascent of this is an airy scramble.” Photo #8 by torino071

Brides Veil waterfall, located just off the A855 can be a boggy but otherwise easier hike than some of places on the Isle of Skye. Walkhighlands warned, “Please note that hillwalking when there is snow lying requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly.” Photo #9 by Chris Golightly

Waterfall at sunset on Skye island near Kilt Rock. The dramatic Mealt waterfall drops 300 feet into the sea; it is created from the outflow of Loch Mealt. The water from the loch often gets blown away by the wind before reaching the ocean. Photo #12 by Frank Winkler

Storm at Neist Point, which is “the most Westerly point on the Isle of Skye. The point is regarded as the best place on Skye to see whales, dolphins, porpoises and basking shark. The sea around the point is teeming with sea-birds including gannets, black guillemots, razorbills and shags…The lighthouse The lighthouse tower is 62 feet high and stands 142 feet above sea-level. The light from the tower is equal to 480,000 candles and can be seen from up to 24 miles away.” Photo #13 by Infinity Visions

Sands at Talisker Bay, Skye. The photographer wrote, “The stunning sands and cliff’s of the prettiest beach on the Isle of Skye. Because the majority of the sand is black and very fine, with a thin layer of gold on top, it forms some lovely formations and color contrasts all over the beach, interlaced with polished black rounded boulders – really really pretty, and so remote you don’t have to share it with anyone at this time of year!” Photo #14 by Kris Williams

Claigan coral beach is known locally as a ‘wee gem’, but despite its name, Claigan coral beach is not actually made of coral but of fossilized and sun-bleached algae. “There is a small island maybe 150m offshore from the beach which is called ‘Lampay’. On the very low tides a coral causeway is revealed allowing access to the Island, an ideal opportunity to explore!” Photo #16 by David Burton

Boat excursions are a great way to see seals. Seal colonies can be found near Loch Coruisk and other areas but the largest colonies of seals on Skye are in Loch Dunvegan near Dunvegan Castle. Photo #19 by Caroline Granycome

Sunset near Edinbane. Lonely Planet said, “The Isle of Skye (an t-Eilean Sgiathanach in Gaelic) takes its name from the old Norse sky-a, meaning ‘cloud island’, a Viking reference to the often-mist-enshrouded Cuillin Hills. It’s the second-largest of Scotland’s islands, a 50-mile-long patchwork of velvet moors, jagged mountains, sparkling lochs and towering sea cliffs. The stunning scenery is the main attraction, but when the mist closes in there are plenty of castles, crofting museums and cosy pubs and restaurants; there are also dozens of art galleries and craft studios. Along with Edinburgh and Loch Ness, Skye is one of Scotland’s top-three tourist destinations.” Photo #20 by Bill Richards

Skye waterfall. The photographer added, “Could be the rainforest.” PetaPixel said, “Scotland is famous for its ever-changing weather conditions. You never can be sure what conditions await you at the next location.” Yet “Scotland somehow needs those rainy days to act as the mystical country that we have in mind when we think of the movie ‘Braveheart.’ Bright sunshine is good for a nice holiday… but rain, wind and fog are the conditions I recommend for atmospheric pictures of Scotland. I think the Isle of Skye is my recommendation for anyone who wants to spend some days in Scotland for landscape photography. This island has it all: Steep mountains (Black Cuillins), impressive cliffs and rocks (Old Man of Storr, Quiraing, Lighthouse at Neist Point), castles, church ruins, waterfalls and green glens. Mossy groves, little lakes, rocky mountain tops, white water creeks and eerie moor landscapes are ubiquitous — it’s a landscape photographer’s dream.” Photo #25 by savagecat

Horns of Sligachan. The photographer wrote, “The last of the summer heather, the old Sligachan bridge and the sun piercing through the clouds to illuminate the Black Cuillins.” The Sligachan Bridge is “the oldest known bridge is that still standing alongside the modern road. Whether it replaced an even older bridge, or more likely a ford, is uncertain. The bridge itself appears to have been built in the 1820s and consists of three arches. The middle arch is the widest, but the side arches are not mere flood arches, as the River Sligachan is a wide and ferocious piece of water for most of the year. The roadway is slightly humpbacked over the large central arch and only single track.” Photo #26 by Ian Hex

Serene seascape near Elgol, a village on the shores of Loch Scavaig. Elgol has a population of about 150. It’s “scenic attractions have drawn in many outsiders seeking holiday homes and a majority of the properties there are no longer occupied on a year-round basis.” Photo #29 by Frank Winkler

The beach at Elgol offers some stunning views of the Cuillins. According to The Internet Guide to Scotland, “The name Elgol is thought to derive from the Gaelic ‘the weeping of the Swan’ which goes back to the story that the captain of the Viking longboat called the Swan was killed in a sea battle here when they came to attack the local population. The view from the pebble beach at Elgol is featured on many postcards, together with the honeycomb cliffs. You can walk over to the rocks and let the children roam around.” Photo #30 by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

“Washed Up” the photographer called this shot. Old Man of Storr and the Quiraing seem the most appealing, almost beckoning you to have an adventure in nature, but other things to see in Skye are 165-million-year-old dinasour footprints on the beach at An Corran, Staffin; and Spar Cave which “is an astonishing, cathedral-like structure, some 50m long, with a marble-like flowstone staircase and huge columns.” There’s also Cave of Gold aka Uamh Oir which “is Skye’s answer to Fingal’s cave on Staffa.” There’s also numerous historic and ancient sites to see. Photo #34 by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

The Fairy Glen. The photographer wrote, “A magical place on Skye, near Uig. Being the result of a landslip, it’s like a miniature Quiraing, although visually very different and totally unexpected. The rocky peak overlooking the lake is called Castle Ewen.” Photo #36 by Jake Sayer

12th century Viking shipbuilding site discovered on the Isle of Skye in 2011. “Investigations at Loch na h-Airde on Skye’s Rubh an Dunain peninsula have uncovered the remains of a possible medieval shipyard, including boat timbers dating from the 1100s, a stone-built quay, a man-made entrance canal, and a blockage system designed to keep the water-level in the Loch constant.” Photo #37 by Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland

View from Quiraing to the Staffinbay. An interesting walk can be had if hiking up the Lealt River, along the disused railway line, past the remains of the Diatomite factory dating back to World War 1. After about 5 hours you reach the wreckage of a B-17 Flying Fortress which crashed into Beinn Edra in the winter of 1944 when it was heading for the USA. You can find lots of bits scattered about when you get there including wheels, propellers, wing sections, etc. Also look out for golden eagles along the way.” Photo #38 by Stefan Krause

“Memory of the Skye.” The island only has a population of about 10,000 people. Wikipedia said, “About a third of the residents were Gaelic speakers in 2001, and although their numbers are in decline this aspect of island culture remains important.” Photo #42 by Stefano Corso

Quiraing and sunshine. Walk Scotland has an interesting tale about The Bad Step that begins as: “Friday the thirteenth. Not the best date to tackle Skye’s infamous ‘Bad Step’. And the warnings were there long before we reached the Misty Isle.” Photo #45 by torino071

Dunvegan Castle was “built on a rocky outcrop on the shores of Loch Dunvegan once entirely encircled by the sea, Dunvegan is the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland and has been the ancestral home of the Chiefs of Clan MacLeod for 800 years.” Photo #46 by Antonio Cinotti

Loch Coruisk and Cuillin Mountain range from top of Sgurr na Stri. According to The Internet Guide to Scotland, “Perhaps the most famous mountain range in Scotland and a great sight whether the weather is clear or imposingly misty. Either way they have a unique presence and can be seen for many miles. The rounded ‘Red Cuillin’ and the jagged ‘Black Cuillin’ comprise over 20 Munros (mountains over 3000 feet).” Photo #48 by Tours of Scotland

It’s alive, Hundertwasser House in Austria. It’s both an apartment house and expressionist landmark in Vienna that was built after the idea and concept of Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Although the concept of a forested roof terrace house was at first rejected, the City of Vienna eventually was convinced to allow the unconventional design. “Within the house there are 52 apartments, 4 offices, 16 private terraces, 3 communal terraces, with a total of 250 trees and bushes.” The Hundertwasserhaus has many unique features, including undulating floors as the artist “said ‘an uneven floor is a divine melody to the feet,’ a roof covered with earth and grass, and large trees growing from inside the rooms, with limbs extending from windows. Hundertwasser took no payment for the design of the house, declaring that it was worth it, to prevent something ugly from going up in its place.” Photo #1 by Sergio Morchon

Autumn at residential building in Bad Soden, Germany, designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser; construction began in 1990 and was completed in 1993. When we were looking for houses with grass living roofs, we kept coming across buildings designed by Hundertwasser. His architecture and ideas were so unique that we wanted to share some of them. Photo #2 by Wolfgang Maennel

Another of Hundertwasser’s designs located in Plochingen, Germany. The photographer added, “His distinctive building style was a result of his dislike of more conventional Modern architecture.” He used “bright colors, decorations, distorted lines” and had a “desire to be in harmony with nature. Hundertwasser believed that only a few buildings are ‘healthy.’ He made numerous restructuring and renewal of residential and functional buildings and had a reputation as ‘the doctor of architecture’ because he treated buildings by decorating them in order to diminish the visual pollution of the environment.” Photo #3 by barnyz

Hundertwasser, born in 1928, started as an artist. The above “Irinaland Over the Balkans” is one of his most famous paintings. He didn’t even begin working as an architect until he was 55-years-old. The woman’s face in the painting is Bulgaria actress Irina Maleeva, with whom Hundertwasser was close. Regarding this painting, he said, “I wanted to paint a picture which seemed to dissolve and had lots of the Balkans in it. I was involved with a Bulgarian actress and went through real Casanova adventures, including hiding under the bed for hours, escaping out the window in my pajamas, where the nearby florist completely sympathized with my plight and gave me food and lodging for nothing. And then a leap to the side to avoid being run over by a speeding rival who had been lying in wait for me in his car.” Photo #4 by Hundertwasser Non-Profit Foundation

“The facade of this building in Rogner Bad Blumau, was modeled on the Kunsthaus museum in Vienna – also designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Hence its German name ‘Kunsthaus’ (‘Art house’).” This hotel complex in Austria was his largest architectural project and was completed in 1997. Part of rejecting straight line architecture included Hundertwasser writing several manifestos. Wikipedia explained, “In the Mouldiness Manifesto he first claimed the ‘Window Right': ‘A person in a rented apartment must be able to lean out of his window and scrape off the masonry within arm’s reach. And he must be allowed to take a long brush and paint everything outside within arm’s reach. So that it will be visible from afar to everyone in the street that someone lives there who is different from the imprisoned, enslaved, standardized man who lives next door.’ In his nude speeches of 1967 and 1968 Hundertwasser condemned the enslavement of humans by the sterile grid system of conventional architecture and by the output of mechanized industrial production.” Photo #5 by Intentionalart

Ronald McDonald House in Essen, Germany. The architect called the architecture of his time “criminally sterile.” He wrote in 1988, “Man has three skins. His own, his clothes and his dwelling. All these three skins must renew themselves, continually grow and and change. When, however, the third skin, i.e. the outer wall of his house, does not change and grow like the first skin it petrifies and dies. Houses are growing things like trees. Houses grow like plants, live and continually change.” Photo #6 by Mosmas

The Maishima Incineration Plant in Osaka, Japan, was yet another project. The “plant was conceptualized during the time when Osaka was bidding to host the 2008 Olympics.” According to a tour guide, “Mr. Hundertwasser designed the exterior with the concept of harmonizing technology, ecology and art. And that because straight lines do not exist in nature, Mr. Hundertwasser used curved lines into his design with these three colors green as a symbol of harmony with nature, red and yellow stripes represent the combustion flames.” Photo #7 by ignis

This tower is at a brewery in Abensberg, Lower Bavaria, Germany. The Kuchlbauer Tower stands over 115 feet (35.14 meters) tall. Hundertwasser died in 2000 during the tower’s planning phase, but it was completed after his death. The gold-plated observation ball on top has a 32.8-foot (10-meter) diameter and weighs 26,455 pounds (12 metric tons.) Photo #8 by 4ever-online.de

Close up of Abensberg Kuchlbauer. Regarding “Window Dictatorship and Window Right,” Hundertwasser said in 1990, “The repetition of identical windows next to each other and above each other as in a grid system is a characteristic of concentration camps. Windows in rank and file are sad, windows should be able to dance.” Photo #9 by Helmlechner

The photographer said that the tower was originally supposed to be about 230 feet (70 meters) high. “But the conservative mayor and the Bavarian State Conservation Office fought in court for a smaller tower, supposedly not to impair the skyline of the old town. This silhouette is, however, extremely boring and completely bland.” Granted, we don’t typically visit breweries but this certainly looks unique to us. Photo #10 by Heribert Pohl & #11 by Heribert Pohl

The Waldspirale is at max a 12-story residential building complex in Darmstadt, Germany; it was designed by Hundertwasser and built from 1998 – 2000. Waldspirale “translates into English as forest spiral, reflecting both the general plan of the building and the fact that it has a green roof.” Photo #12 by Joachim S. Müller

There are over 1,000 windows in Waldspirale, “are all unique: no two windows are the same. Similarly, different handles are attached in each apartment to the doors and windows.” Photo #13 by Dirk Hartung

It also has “105 apartments, a parking garage, a kiosk as well as a café and a bar (the last two being located at the top of the spiral). The inner courtyard contains a playground for the children of the residents and a small artificial lake.” Photo #14 by Bartek Langer & #15 by Dirk Hartung

The Green Citadel, (Grüne Zitadelle) a Hundertwasser creation located in Magdeburg, Germany. He called the Green Citadel an “unusual architecture project. An oasis for humanity and nature between thousands of streamlined buildings. It shall fulfill man’s longings for romanticism. The romanticism that negates, and tries to eliminate, the efficient architecture with its fatal sterile fanaticism.” Photo #16 by Basileia Gorgo

Green roof on the Green Citadel. Again there was use of golden onion towers, something used in Hundertwasser’s designs over and over. He once said, “A golden onion tower on one’s own house elevates the occupant to the status of a king.” Photo #17 by Ottostadt Magdeburg

Hundertwasser Church St. Barbara in Austria. About the man whose ideas were radical for his time, Wikipedia said, “The Second World War was a very difficult time for Hundertwasser and his mother Elsa, who were Jewish. They avoided persecution by posing as Christians.” Later in life: “In 1959 Hundertwasser got involved with helping the Dalai Lama escape from Tibet by campaigning for the Tibetan religious leader in Carl Laszlo’s magazine Panderma. In later years, when he was already a known artist, Friedensreich Hundertwasser became an environmental activist.” Photo #18 by Mundus Gregorius & #19 by Zairon

Maishima Sludge Center in Japan. “Commissioned by the City of Osaka, Hundertwasser also took on the project of architecturally redesigning the sludge treatment center located near the MOP incinerator (seen in photo #7). The plant was built to recycle sludge in order to produce bricks, tiles and floor slabs.” Photo #21 by ignis

Night shot of Maishima Waste Incineration Plant, in Osaka. If you didn’t know and had to guess what this building was, Quest for Japan said, “I guess most people would guess that its a theme park being so closely located to Universal Studios Japan.” Photo #22 by Hunderwasser via Mykon

Spittelau thermal power plant, a District Heating Plant, in Vienna. Hundertwasser redesigned the outer facade after a major fire in 1987; the redesign began in 1988 was completed in 1992. Photo #23 by Emiliano & #24 by Contributor

Quixote Wine Press Entrance in Napa Valley. Hundertwasser meant “the pattern of the tiles on the outside wall is to suggest a waterfall.” Photo #25 by Gear$Head

More Friedensreich Hundertwasser’s architectural details of Quixote Winery, constructed from 1992 – 1999. Wikipedia added that the building has “no right angles, except in the basement. The design style has been called phantasmagoric, psychedelic, and Dr. Seuss-like, and also likened to ‘the creation of a beautifully demented child.’ The winery structure is dominated by an onion dome covered in gold leaf, as well as a living roof topped with grass, bushes, and trees.” Photo #26 by Peter Menzel

It was the colorful Hundertwasser House that first grabbed our attention, so here are more photos of it. Regarding Hundertwasserhouse, the architect said, “Architecture must give man back his soul. Hundertwasserhouse is an architectonic sign that calls on us to turn about, to turn our backs on traditional and soulless architecture, a house in which the creativity of nature meets human creativity.” Photo #29 by David Fernández

View of the most colorful house of Vienna. “Romanticism has been declared kitsch and so we have been robbed of romanticism. May one not dream? The right to dream is the last human right. If man is robbed of his dreams and yearnings he will die. The absence of kitsch makes life unbearable,” said Hundertwasser. Photo #31 by ἀλέξ

He added, “Architecture must give man back his soul. Hundertwasserhouse is an architectonic sign that calls on us to turn about, to turn our backs on traditional and soulless architecture, a house in which the creativity of nature meets human creativity. With this house the city of Vienna has made possible a project that is a unique example.” Photo #32 by Manfred Morgner

Hundertwasserhaus in 2014. Its creator “was fascinated by spirals, and called straight lines ‘godless and immoral’ and ‘something cowardly drawn with a rule, without thought or feeling’.” Photo #34 by Knight Light

In 1990, the architect claimed, “A person in a rented apartment must be able to lean out of his window and scrape off the masonry within arm’s reach. And he must be allowed to take a long brush and paint everything outside within arm’s reach. So that it will be visible from afar to everyone in the street that someone lives there who is different from the imprisoned, enslaved, standardized man who lives next door.” Photo #35 by d4rk4ng3l

In 1972, Hundertwasser had “his first architectural models made for the Eurovision ‘Wünsch dir was’ show, which he used to visualize his ideas on forested roofs, tree tenants and window rights. In these models he developed new architectural shapes, such as the eye-slit house, the terrace house and the high-rise meadow house. In lectures at academies and before architectural associations, Hundertwasser elucidated his concerns regarding an architecture in harmony with nature and man.” Photo #36 by Viva Viena!

In 1980, regarding how a house should not be measured by normal standards, Hundertwasser said a house “is meant to be an oasis of humanity and nature in the sea of rational buildings, the realization of the longing of people for romanticism. Precisely that romanticism which rational architecture negates and attempts to uproot with lethal, sterile zealotry.” Photo #37 by Ulf Liljankoski8384

“Everyone will be glad to return home,” he added. “For the house sparkles in the sunshine and in the moonlight. It has fountains, and you can sit amidst the trees. And you look at the living walls and recognize the living windows with pleasure, the ones you can reshape yourself, behind which you are at home.” Photo #38 by Vasile Cotovanu

Yes Hundertwasser even created public toilets in 1999, which are located at Kawakawa on New Zealand’s North Island. “In the 1970s, Hundertwasser acquired several properties in the Bay of Islands in New Zealand, which include a total area of approximately 372 ha of the entire ‘Kaurinui’ valley. There he realized his dream of living and working closely connected to nature. Beside other projects he designed the ‘Bottle House’ there. He could live largely self-sufficient using solar panels, a water wheel and a biological water purification plant. Also his first grass roofs experiment took place here.” He “was buried in New Zealand after his death at sea on the RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 in 2000 at the age of 71.” Photo #39 by Reinhard Dietrich & #40 by Robyn Gallagher from Auckland, New Zealand

Face on Hundertwasserhouse. Whether you like or dislike his style, it’s certainly not something most of us see every day. Photo #41 by Olivier Bruchez

Not all houses with sod roofs are in Norway. For example, this grass-roofed bed and breakfast is located in Romania and the Carpathian Mountains. Photo #4 by CameliaTWU

Grass roof in Suyavik, Iceland. Turf roofs and even turf houses have been an Icelandic architectural style since before the time of the Vikings. Photo #5 by Trey Ratcliff

While this may appear to be a wheat field, it’s actually a “green roof” top in downtown Ottawa, Canada, at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa. The spires of Parliament Hill are visible in the distance. In urban areas, vegetated roofs and an eco-housing trend continue to grow in popularity as outdoors space is limited. Photo #6 by cjuneau

This is what happens without a goat or other care given to a sod roof as this roof on a 19th century house in Hemsedal, Norway, is in “immediate need of repair. Trees that are allowed to grow on a sod roof will eventually destroy the house.” Photo #9 by Roede

Sheep and abandoned Hobbit homes in the Shire…aka in New Zealand where Lord of the Rings movies were filmed. Photo #10 by Rob Chandler

Sod roof on Scandinavian cottage on Williams Lake, Minnesota. About three or four decades ago, Germany began really taking advantage of green-roof technology; green living roofs caught on and became popular in Europe. There are some in Canada and the U.S. as well, primarily for their positive environmental impact. Photo #12 by smarzinske

Icelandic stone house with grass roof…and a roof quote. “Tiny drops of experiences collated from the roof of our journeys in life becomes the ocean upon which we sail to greatness,” ~ quote by Ikechukwu Izuakor. Photo #13 by Sergii

Nature Sanctuary in Scotland. So what is a living roof? Wikipedia states, “A green roof or living roof is a roof of a building that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane. It may also include additional layers such as a root barrier and drainage and irrigation systems.” Photo #15 by Gemma Grace

On the Faroe Islands, even some doghouses have a turf roof. They say what’s old becomes new again and that seems to be the case with grass roofs and the growing popularity of green roof technology. Photo #16 by Arne List

Icelandic replica of a Viking chapel. The turf-clad stave church that sits adjacent to the medieval farmhouse is a reconstruction of a typical Icelandic medieval chapel. “The reconstruction is based upon the foundation of a small church or chapel which was uncovered during archeological excavations at Stöng in Thjorsardalur-valley in 1986-88.” Bottom: The same church, but via panorama that covers a field of view of about 270 degrees. Photo #20 by Thomas Ormston & #21 by Jan Vrsinsky

Conifer trees on overgrown grass roof in Norway. It surely would be weird to look up at your ceiling and see tree roots growing down into your living room. Photo #26 by myszysz

The building on the left was built in 1800 and the one on the right was built in the 1600s; both are located at the Glomdal cultural history museum, an open-air museum in Norway. There are 92 buildings which date from “1611 to 1940, revealing much about the history of the 350 km long Glomma Valley through the last 400 years.” Photo #27 by Jensens

Houses with turf roofs on the island of Heimaey, Iceland. Turf roofs were originally used in Iceland due to a lack of natural resources; people used what local building materials were available like stone and sod. Photo #29 by michael clarke stuff

Icelandic turf houses in Glaumbaer. Regarding the Glaumbaer Farm: “A farmhouse is said to have stood on the hill at Glaumbær since the Age of the Settlements (900 AD). The present buildings vary in age; the most recent addition having been built in 1876-79, while the oldest – the kitchen, ‘long pantry,’ and middle badstofa – are believed to have been preserved much as they were in the mid-18th century. The passages connecting the individual units have also remained unchanged for many centuries.” Photo #30 by Michael Ransburg & #31 by Michael Ransburg

Turf roof of Glaumbaer, Iceland, with grass surrounding the windows and the rest of the house. Icelandic turf houses were known to offer “superior insulation compared to buildings solely made of wood or stone.” Photo #32 by TommyBee

“A house with a turf roof and walls near Reykjavik, Iceland.” The photographer added, “Turf was plentiful in Iceland and provided superior insulation against the weather.” Have you ever laid back on a blanket in the grass and gazed at the stars? Can you imagine if that blanket were on your grass roof? In Iceland it’s more than stars as the aurora borealis is often visible at night during the winter. Photo #33 by Mark Fischer

Heimaey, Iceland. Since there’s only so much to say without going into massive details about growing your own living roof, then here’s a quote about grass. “The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself,” ~ quote by Henry Miller. Photo #34 by Wolf-Ulf Wulfrolf

Icelandic Church with turf roof. Mother Teresa of Calcutta once said ~ “See how nature – trees, flowers, grass – grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence…we need silence to be able to touch souls.” Photo #35 by Ryan Taylor

Stone house with grass roof at Icelandic Hot Springs. “To me a lush carpet of pine needles or spongy grass is more welcome than the most luxurious Persian rug,” ~ quote by Helen Keller. Photo #36 by Sergii

Faroese farmstead. “Buildings of an old Saksun farmstead known as the Duvugarðar, which is now a museum run by the Faroese Museum of History. These buildings give a perspective of farmlife in the Faroe Islands from the Middle Ages up to the beginning of the 20th century. Note the lush green hillsides, wildflowers and waterfalls that course their way down the rocky slopes.” Photo #45 by Charlie Kellogg in 1994

Sod roof on log buildings of Norsk Folkemuseum in Oslo, Norway. Why spend thousands of dollars to put shingles on your roof when you can multitask and use your roof as your garden? You could even get yourself or your kids a pet goat to help keep a grass roof trimmed. Did you know?…The EPA says that green roofs provide good insulation, helping to keep a home warmer as well as to naturally keep it cooler, as well as reduce storm water run-off and filter pollution. Photo #46 by Kjetil Bjørnsrud

Hill of Crosses on a sunny day in Lithuania. Some estimates say there are 100,000 crosses on this hill, but that seems like a low estimate for this pilgrimage site that is packed with crosses, statues, carvings, rosaries and other offerings and mementos. Photo #1 by Expectmohr

“Easter says you can put truth in a grave, but it won’t stay there,” ~ quote by Clarence W. Hall. During Easter week, the Hill of Crosses pilgrimage site is especially busy; the first crosses were placed here 184 years ago by Lithuanian relatives of victims killed during an anti-Russian uprising in 1831. An estimated 10,000 to 20,000 insurgents lost their lives in the uprising. Many loved ones placed a cross on the hill if they could not find the bodies. From that time to 1975, Soviets tried to destroy this site over and over again; yet Lithuanians continued to place crosses here. Photo #2 by David Iliff

The USSR banned religion and deported hundreds of thousands of Lithuanians to Siberia; Soviet occupiers bulldozed the Hill of Crosses, posted KGB guards and used barricades to stop Lithuanians from placing crosses here. Yet locals would sneak in during the night and leave crosses on the hill. There are now heaping crosses at the Hill of Crosses. Photo #3 by BestofDanSilver & #4 by Tania Ho

Since at least the 19th century when Lithuania became a part of the Russian Empire, crosses have been a symbol of the Lithuanian people. Cross-crafting is an important part of Lithuanian culture. Designs are often intricate and Lithuanian cross-crafting was enrolled into the list of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity of 2001 by UNESCO. Photo #5 by Ian Britton

According to written documentation, in 1850 there were about 20 crosses on the hill. More were added when relatives couldn’t find the bodies of their loved ones. By 1900, there were about 130, then 155 by 1914. 200 crosses and chapel in 1923. 1,000 adorned the hill even though there was a ban on the construction of a cross or to make a pilgrimage to the hill. Photo #6 by iwishmynamewasmarsha

The custom of placing crosses here “began after the 1831 Uprising of the Polish and Lithuanians Armies against the Russians. After the battle, the Lithuanians were often unable to find the body of their loved ones so they began placing a cross on the fort hill and pray for their souls. This custom continues to this day.” Photo #7 by Ryan

Of the cross-crafting, Wikipedia explained, “The stylized crosses, Lietuviškasis kryžius, are put up along roadsides, in cemeteries, near houses and as votive offerings in churches. The crosses combine elements of architecture, sculpture, blacksmith art, and painting. One to five meters high, they often feature floral or geometric symbols, motifs of the sun, birds and the tree of life; they are sometimes adorned with small statues. To plead for grace or to express gratitude, the crosses are built as memorials to the dead or as the signs of spiritual protection at certain places. Even today crosses, are built to mark the places of former settlements or farmsteads, places of death by homicide or accident, in memory of deceased people or groups of people, significant events and anniversaries, as a protection for road travelers and adornment of sacred sites. The Hill of Crosses holds a large collection of the pieces.” Photo #8 by patrina_io

Pope John Paul II visited the Hill of Crosses in 1993; tens of thousands of Lithuanians turned out to greet the Pope when he stopped to pray at the Hill of Crosses. He told the congregation, “Thank you, Lithuanians, for this Hill of Crosses which testifies to the nations of Europe and to the whole world the faith of the people of this land.” Photo #9 by Diego Delso

To fully understand the Hill of Crosses, you need to know some facts about Lithuania history. “A powerful state in its own right at its peak in the 14th to 16th centuries, Lithuania subsequently fell under the Polish then Soviet yoke. Bar a brief interwar period of independence, Lithuania was not independent again until 1991.” Photo #11 by patrina_io

Lithuania was “annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940 and remained under Soviet rule for nearly half a century. The Soviets made drastic reforms in all the Baltic States. These reforms also provided the Soviets with much needed materials during the Second World War and helped the spread of their communist ideology to neighboring countries. For Lithuania, this process was marked by retarded agricultural production and an extreme concentration on the growth of heavy industry.” Photo #12 by Ryan & #13 by Thomas Stegh

According to research conducted through the Genocide and Resistance Research Center of Lithuania, “the string of tragedies began in August 1939, when Hitler and Stalin concluded a cynical agreement that divided up Central Europe between the two totalitarian countries. According to the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact, Lithuania was to fall into the Soviet zone of influence.” Photo #14 by Dezidor

“After the outbreak of the Second World War, Lithuania was occupied three times: first by the USSR in 1940, then by Nazi Germany in 1941, and finally by the USSR again in 1944…During Nazi and Soviet occupations, including 200,000 Holocaust victims, the losses of the population of Lithuania amounted to 33% of the total number of the country’s population in 1940. Lithuania lost 1 million people to deportations, executions, incarceration, the murder of the political opposition and forced emigration.” Photo #15 by Guillaume Speurt

“Siberia was the major destination of Lithuanian prisoners. Altogether, some 600,000 prisoners were taken from the Soviet occupied Baltic states – Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. There were some 10 million inhabitants in all three Baltic states on the eve of the Soviet occupation.” Photo #16 by Tim Pritlove & #17 by Ryan

“Proportionately, the number of Baltic prisoners would be equal to a loss of 20 million in the United States or 5 million in Great Britain.” Photo #18 by iwishmynamewasmarsha

“There were several big waves of mass deportations to Siberia. There were some differences between them. In 1940-1941, the Soviet’s task was decapitation of the Lithuanian nation by annihilating its cultural and political elite.” Photo #19 by Guillaume Speurt

“Arrests and deportations, executed by the Soviets and local collaborators, started soon after Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union on June 15, 1940 and even before official incorporation of Lithuania into the USSR on August 3, 1940.” Photo #20 by Adrien & #21 by Diego Delso

In “October and November, 1940, the Soviets ordered to draw up lists of ‘anti-Soviet elements’. This term included a wide spectrum of people: 1. Members of non-communist parties, including heretical communists.” Photo #22 by Diego Delso

#2 on the “anti-Soviet elements” list was “members of patriotic and religious organizations;” #3 was “former police and prison officials.” Photo #23 by Stefan Krasowski

#4 was “former officers of tsarist and other armies; #5 was former officers of the Lithuanian and Polish armies. #6 was former volunteers who had joined anti-Soviet armies in 1918-1919.” Photo #24 by yeowatzup

Altar pavilion at the Hill of Crosses, “built in 1993 for a service of pope Johannes Paul II. In the foreground a cross with a Jesus figure donated by the Vatican in 1994.” Photo #25 by Mosiva

#7 on the “anti-Soviet elements” list of people to round up and deport to Siberia: “Citizens of foreign states, representatives and employees of foreign firms, and employees of foreign embassies.” Photo #26 by Ryan

#9 was “former high level officials; #10 was Red Cross employees and émigrés from Poland; #11 was clergymen of all religions; #12 was bankers, members of aristocratic families and rich farmers.” Photo #29 by yeowatzup

Again as cited from Siberia: Mass Deportations from Lithuania to the USSR: “The total number of persons registered as “anti-Soviet elements” reached 320,000 entries. There were teachers and professors, school and college students, farmers, industry workers and craftsmen among them.” Photo #30 by Expectmohr & #31 by Expectmohr

“June 14-18, 1941 were the dark days of the first massive arrest and deportation of the Lithuanian population. A cargo of 16,246 people were crammed into cattle cars. Moscow’s instruction required separate men from their families. So, 3,915 men were separated and transported to concentration camps in the Krasnoyarsk territory while 12,331 women, children and elderly people were transported to the Altai Mountains territory, the Komi republic and to the Tomsk region.” Photo #32 by Ryan

Loved ones would place a cross on the hill. “40% of deportees were children below 16 years old. More than half of the deported died quickly. Pregnant women and babies born in the cattle cars were the first victims – they died in the trains. The deportation process was interrupted by the German-Soviet war.” Photo #33 by Stefan Krasowski

“The situation changed in 1948. The most extensive deportation from Lithuania was held on May 22 and 23, 1948. Over these two days 12,100 families, numbering over 41,000 people, were seized from their homes and exiled.” Photo #34 by dr. avishai teicher

“In 1948, 50% of deportees were accused not of their relations with the armed guerillas. Their official guilt was their social class – they were owners of private farms. In 1949, already two-thirds of the deportees belonged to this category while in 1951 they absolutely dominated the Soviet secret police‘s statistics.” Photo #35 by Groundhopping Merseburg & #36 by Groundhopping Merseburg

“How did the typical deportation look? The NKVD broke into an apartment or house and arrested all the family members. The NKVD marched them onto the back of a truck. In the railway station as far as the eye could see there were men and women clutching suitcases and bundles of hastily gathered clothing, the elderly and the disabled searching for places to sit and mothers holding their children, all surrounded by Red Army soldiers brandishing weapons.” Photo #38 by Diego Delso & #39 by blue_quartz

In 1959 and 1961, Soviet authorities issued decrees banning the construction of crosses and started cleansing via destroying crosses on this hill. 400 crosses were demolished at least three times, twice in 1974. By 1976, Soviets “not only destroyed all standing crosses, but also mined part of the same hill.” Photo #40 by Serguei

The Pope called Hill of Crosses a place for hope, peace, love and sacrifice. Photo #41 by Beth

Easter quote by Douglas Horton ~ “On Easter Day the veil between time and eternity thins to gossamer.” Photo #42 by Ryan

“The resurrection gives my life meaning and direction and the opportunity to start over no matter what my circumstances,” ~ quote by Robert Flatt. Photo #43 by Ryan

John Adams, wrote in a letter to Thomas Jefferson on September 3, 1816: “I almost shudder at the thought of alluding to the most fatal example of the abuses of grief which the history of mankind has preserved – the Cross. Consider what calamities that engine of grief has produced! With the rational respect that is due to it, knavish priests have added prostitutions of it, that fill or might fill the blackest and bloodiest pages of human history.” Photo #45 by Pudelek (Marcin Szala)

Nowadays, crosses are placed on the hill by visitors from all over the world. The Hill of Crosses is about 60 meters (about 196 feet) long and about 40 to 50 meters (131 – 164 ft ) wide. Photo #48 by Ian Britton

“There are several theories on how these hills developed; it has become a sort of legend. One story is that in the thirteenth century, when Lithuania was mostly Pagan and before it had been Christianized, a group of Pagans burned down a church on that spot. The remnants formed two hills and as a memorial to the priests of that church people started placing Crosses there. Many variations to this story exist, such as two Christian crusaders were passing by and were killed at that spot, as opposed to there ever being a church there. These legends, similar to other such stories, were most likely formulated to evoke feelings of national unity and pride.” Photo #49 by Guillaume Speurt

“The Soviet government could not tolerate such spiritual expression and in 1961 completely destroyed the hill. All the Crosses were bulldozed and then burned or recycled (such as in the case of metal Crosses). Still people kept coming and placing Crosses there and the Soviets demolished the area again in 1973 and once more in 1975. At one point they even flooded the place, turning the hill into a virtual island. Usually, the men were put on separate trains. They usually were transported to prisons and the Gulags (concentration camps) while females, kids and the elderly were deported to live in God-forsaken settlements in Siberia….The site reportedly was and is purely a place for Lithuanian Catholics to commemorate their dead.” Photo #50 by iwishmynamewasmarsha

It is reportedly “hard to imagine so many crosses in one place. But all these crosses tell us about personal and public misfortunes and catastrophes. For example one cross was put after the wreck of the ferry ‘Estonia’….Each visitor tries to leave a cross or a rosary. If he has not brought any, he makes one right on the hill, from pebbles, little branches or grass.” Photo #51 by iwishmynamewasmarsha & #52 by Hans Zinsli

Closely related to cross-carving (kryždirbystė) is an art of “god carving” by dievdirbys, “Lithuanian wood carvers who creates statues of Jesus and the Christian saints.” Photo #53 by Andrea Paraggio

Sacred Sites noted, “The size and variety of crosses is as amazing as their number. Beautifully carved out of wood or sculpted from metal, the crosses range from three meters tall to the countless tiny examples hanging profusely upon the larger crosses.” Photo #54 by iwishmynamewasmarsha

” An hour spent upon the sacred hill will reveal crosses brought by Christian pilgrims from all around the world. Rosaries, pictures of Jesus and the saints, and photographs of Lithuanian patriots also decorate the larger crosses. On windy days breezes blowing through the forest of crosses and hanging rosaries produces a uniquely beautiful music.” Photo #55 by TimoM

Wikipedia added, “Over the centuries, not only crosses, but giant crucifixes, carvings of Lithuanian patriots, statues of the Virgin Mary and thousands of tiny effigies and rosaries have been brought here by Catholic pilgrims. The exact number of crosses is unknown.” Photo #56 by Peter Collins

“It is a common tradition for visitors to leave behind a cross and a prayer. Sacred objects such as crucifixes or rosaries can be purchased at various souvenir stands…The crosses placed here tell us about personal and public misfortunes and catastrophes. Every year thousands of people visit the Hill.” Photo #57 by Tania Ho

It’s difficult to known the number of crosses here on the hill near the small city of Siauliai (pronounced shoo-lay); the hill has become a Lithuanian national pilgrimage center. Different estimates of the number of crosses now and throughout history vary depending upon the source. Such as: “Many crosses were erected upon the hill after the peasant uprising of 1831-63. By 1895, there were at least 150 large crosses, in 1914 200, and by 1940 there were 400 large crosses surrounded by thousands of smaller ones.” Photo #61 by Peter Collins

“Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in spring-time,” ~ quote by Martin Luther. Photo #62 by Algirdas

Catholic Planet stated: “This little hillock has long been a potent symbol of suffering, hope, devotion, and the undefeated faith of the Lithuanian people.”. Photo #63 by Ryan

“Men have said that the cross of Christ was not a heroic thing, but I want to tell you that the cross of Jesus Christ has put more heroism in the souls of men than any other event in human history,” ~ quote by John G. Lake. Photo #64 by Ian Britton

There are several pretty pink lakes scattered across the globe. The reason for the color, usually algae, may seem less romantic. While it may depend upon where you live, most of us don’t see lakes filled with pink water on a daily basis. Photo #1 by hqwallbase

Even if you do live nearby a pink lake, I bet you don’t see this every day. Wingsuit pilot Chuck Berry flies over Lake Hillier in Western Australia. He was the first person to fly over the lake. Red Bull explained, “Free falling in a wingsuit from a helicopter hovering above, Chuck soared across the beautiful pink Lake Hillier, located on the remote Middle Island of the Recherche Archipelago.” Berry later exclaimed, “The lake is unique and absolutely mesmerizing. I feel incredibly privileged to have been blessed with this once in a lifetime opportunity.” Photo #2 by Red Bull

Lake Hillier, bright pink lake of Pepto-Bismol. It’s about 2,000 ft (600 meters) in length by about 820 ft (250 m) in width and it’s best viewed from above via a helicopter. Cruises visit the lake for folks who want to also enjoy the surrounding forest. Wikipedia added, “The most notable feature of the lake is its pink color. The vibrant color is permanent, and does not alter when the water is taken in a container….The only living organism in Lake Hillier is Dunaliella salina, the microorganism that causes the salt content in the lake to create a red dye, hence the colour. Another hypothesis is that the pink color is due to red halophilic bacteria in the salt crusts. Despite the unusual hue, the lake exhibits no known adverse effects upon humans. From above, the lake appears a solid bubble gum pink, but from the shoreline it appears more of a clear pink hue. The shoreline is also covered in salt crust deposits.” Photo #3 by Gallery Hip

Lake Hillier, Middle Island, Australia. Hubpages explained, “All of the pink lakes around the globe have a common denominator. An extremely high salt content is present in all of the lakes. The extremely salty water allows for three different biological entities that turn the water pink: 1) An algae called Dunaliella salina. 2) A bacteria called Salinobacter ruber. 3) Halophilic archaea.” Photo #4 by Gallery Hip

Laguna Rosa, pink lake Salina de Torrevieja in Alicante, Spain. “The strange pink-purple color of the Torrevieja lagoon is caused by pigments of the Halobacterium bacteria which lives in extreme salty environments.” Spain-holiday added, “This is also found in the Dead Sea and the Great Salt Lake. The colour is also caused by an alga called Dunadiella Salina, which is responsible for the bright red colour of the lake seen at certain times of the year. The Artemia Salina brine shrimp, which lives in the lake, is also red because it feeds on the bacteria. You will also see the flamingos turn a lovely shade of pink because they eat the shrimps. The salt is produced from the south-east corner of the pink lagoon.” Photo #6 by imgkid

This is the same pink salt lake in Spain as above, but it is from way above as this shot was captured by NASA’s Expedition 5. Photo #7 by NASA

Lake Retba boats in pink lake, which is located on Cap Vert peninsula in Senegal. Wikipedia states, “Salt is exported across the region by up to 3,000 collectors, men and women from all over Western Africa, who work 6–7 hours a day, and protect their skin with ‘Beurre de Karité’ (shea butter, produced from Shea nuts, which is an emollient used to avoid tissue damage. The salt is used by Senegalese fishermen to preserve fish, a component of many traditional recipes including the national dish, a fish stew called thieboudienne.” Photo #9 by When On Earth

Lake Retba is also known as Lac Rose. It’s the same pink lake, Lac Rose or Lake Retba if you prefer, but zoomed way, way out courtesy of NASA. This image of Cap Vert peninsula and Dakar is from the Dakar, Senegal collection; it was captured in 2004. Photo #11 by NASA

The photographer said of this shot of Lake Retba, “Image was captured by a camera suspended by a kite line. Kite Aerial Photography (KAP) 7′ Rokkaku.” It may appear more red or orangish in this shot, but that’s the Dunaliella salina algae giving it the “pink” coloring. The lake appears more “pink” during the dry season from November to June. Maximum depth of Lake Retba is 9.8 ft (3 m). Photo #12 by Jeff Attaway

Here’s the same pink phenomenon caused by Dunaliella salina algae, but this time it’s none other than San Francisco Bay. Here’s the explanation: “High power electrical supply towers and lines cross salt ponds of the South Bay. Salt evaporation ponds formed by salt water impounded within levees in former tidelands on the shores of San Francisco Bay. There are many of these ponds surrounding the South Bay. As the water evaporates, micro-organisms of several kinds come to predominate and change the color of the water. First come green algae, then darkening as orange brine shrimp predominate. Finally red predominates as dunaliella salina, a micro-algae containing high amounts of beta-carotene (itself with high commercial value), predominates. Other organisms can also change the hue of each pond. Colors include red, green, orange and yellow, brown and blue. Finally, when the water is evaporated, the white of salt alone remains. This is harvested with machines, and the process repeats.” Photo #13 by Doc Searls from Santa Barbara, USA

Yet a different pink salt lake, but this time presented as fine art. This is Hutt Lagoon in midwest Western Australia. Photo #14 by Steve Back

Hutt Lagoon contains the world’s largest micro-algae production plant as well acting as a farm that provides a commercial supply of brine shrimp. Photo #15 via Shrimp News

Hutt Lagoon is located near Gregory, Australia. Max length is 8.6 miles (14 km) by depth of 1.4 miles (2.3 km); Hutt Lagoon’s max depth is only 2.1 feet (.65 m). Photo #16 by Eric Baker

Natural-color satellite image of Sivash Lake in Crimea. Sivash is also known by the unfortunate names of the Putrid Sea or Rotten Sea. Earth Snapshot said Sivash “lagoons show varied, bright colors, ranging from lime green to electric blue to pink.” NASA added, “The shallow waters of Sivash appear in shades of peach, mustard, lime green, brilliant blue, muted blue-green, beige, and brown. Thick layers of silt coat the bottoms of the shallow marshes, which are rich enough in mineral salts to supply a local chemical plant. The marshes’ shallowness and chemical composition contribute to their unearthly colors in satellite imagery. Surrounding the marshy areas are agricultural fields, most of them rectangular, but some of them shaped by center-pivot irrigation systems. Urbanized areas appear along the shores of the Black Sea, and highways curve and zigzag across the peninsula.” Photo #18 by Jesse Allen and Robert Simmon / NASA Earth Observatory

Sivash may not seem too “pink” in the satellite image, but it looks pink from this capture at ground level. Photo #19 by Alester

Meanwhile near Baku, Azerbaijan, there is another pink salt lake called Masazir Lake. Did you know?…”The pyramid shape prevents rain water from washing away the salt as it simply runs off the sides.” Photo #20 by Azerbaijan24

Workers mining salt from Masazir Lake. “The overall area of the lake is3.9 sq. miles (10 km2). Large volumes of chloride and sulphate are concentrated in ion composition of the water.” Wikipedia also noted, “A new salt making plant was built in 2010 for production of 2 Azeri brands of salt. The estimated amount of recoverable salt is 1,735 million tons.” Photo #21 by Azerbaijan24

Pink Lake Natron in northern Tanzania. “The lake is within the Lake Natron Basin, a Ramsar Site wetland of international significance.” According to Wikipedia, “It is quite shallow, less than three meters (9.8 ft) deep, and varies in width depending on its water level. The lake is a maximum of 57 kilometers (35 mi) long and 22 kilometers (14 mi) wide. Temperatures at the lake are frequently above 40 °C (104 °F).” Photo #22 via Amazing Stuff

Laguna Colorada, aka Red Lagoon, is in Boliva. According to Wikipedia, This “pink” lake lies “within Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve and close to the border with Chile.” It’s 6.6 miles (10.7 km) long by about 6 miles (9.6 km) wide; average depth is only 13.8 inches (35 cm), with a max depth of 4.9 feet (1.5 m). Photo #25 by Valdiney Pimenta

Lama in front of Laguna Colorada with Punta Grande in the background. “Laguna Colorada is part of the Los Lípez (formerly Laguna Colorada) Ramsar wetland. It was listed as a ‘Ramsar Wetland of International Importance’ in 1990,” thus spake Wikipedia. Photo #26 by Phil Whitehouse

Flamingos at Laguna Colorada, Bolivia. There are bountiful James’s Flamingos in the area as well as lesser amount of Andean and Chilean flamingos. Photo #27 by Luca Galuzzi

Australia has several pink lakes, including this one which is about 6.2 miles (10km) east of Quairading, Western Australia. Photo #28 by Gnangarra

Yet another pink lake is Lake Magadi located in the Kenyan Rift Valley. “During the dry season, it is 80% covered by soda and is well known for its wading birds, including flamingos…In places, the salt is up to 131 feet (40 m) thick….During the rainy season, a thin (<1 m) layer of brine covers much of the saline pan, but this evaporates rapidly leaving a vast expanse of white salt that cracks to produce large polygons." Photo #30 by ninara

Once upon a time, or several thousand years ago, Lake Magadi was not always so salty; back then the Magadi basin had a freshwater lake which was filled with fish. Photo #31 by ninara

Although that clearly appears to be another pink salt lake, most of the images of Salina of Cervia show the salt mining in bodies of water that appear more ‘normal’ than pink. The history of this salt lake includes the fact that the salt pod became a part of the Papal States and eventually turned into a marsh. “In November 1697, Pope Innocent XII ordered it to be rebuilt in a safer location. The new city had huge silos for storage of salt, containing up to 13,000 tons.” One of the “main sights” in Cervia is a Museum of Salt. Photo #32 by In Adria Hotels

Salt mining at Cervia where the salt has been called the ‘white gold’ of Cervia. According to a translated version of the info provided on PubblicitaItalia, “Salt, Cervia, has always been a valuable asset and incomparable, so much so that in ancient Rome Pliny the Elder wrote: ‘Nihil utilius sale et sun’ (Nothing is more useful than the salt and the sun). The saline Romagna Cervia extend over an area of ​​827 hectares, 1,600 meters away from the Adriatic Sea.” Photo #33 by PubblicitaItalia

Murray-Sunset National Park has “four lakes in the park that exude the brilliant shades of pink: Lake Crosbie, Lake Becking, Lake Kenyon and Lake Hardy.” The pink lake above is Lake Kenyon. The color of pink in the lakes may appear rosy pink or even pale salmon. “Their color is due to the presence of red algae that, along with the solid salt bed of the lakes, create this unusual hue. The pink is at its most intense after rain, due to fresh nutrients being washed into the lakes, which in turn trigger the growth of algae. At other times, the pink fades into a paler color that is almost white.” Photo #34 by Luis Mata

A Parks Victoria brochure (.pdf) quoted Jim Kline, a local born and raised at Pink Lakes, as saying, “Changing in color from a glistening white to a deep pink, the Pink Lakes are a pretty sight at most times of the year. They are just as picturesque on bright moon-lit nights as they are in daylight.” The pink lake above is Lake Hardy, which is within Murray-Sunset National Park. Photo #36 by Jeff McKimm via Tony Marsh

Westgate Park Saltwater Lake is being transformed into “a beautiful diverse bushland setting for locally indigenous species.” In February 2015, the Friends of Westgate Park announced that its pink lake was back for the third year in a row. Photo #42 by Luke Richardson

This is MacLeod Lake in Australia according to the photographer who also tagged this photo as “coral coast.” Photo #43 by Sean Comiskey

Aerial view of the salt pans of Cagliari, Italy. “The salt flats are now part of the Regional Park of Molentargius…The history of the extraction of sea salt at Cagliari seems to date back to about 3000 years ago.” In 1934, there was a church built for saline-extracting employees; it was abandoned in 1979 before being restored in 1991. Photo #46 by Cristiano Cani

Salt-loving bacteria gives a reddish pink tint as water flows into Lake Eyre; the “Lake Eyre basin is a drainage basin that covers just under one-sixth of all Australia….To provide a sense of scale, the Lake Eyre Basin is about the size of France, Germany and Italy combined…The Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre National Park, Strzelecki Regional Reserve, Witjira National Park, Sturt National Park and Simpson Desert National Park are among a number of protected areas established within the Lake Eyre Basin.” Photo #47 by imgkid

Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre, aka Lake Eyre, is the lowest natural point in Australia. This pink lake in south Australia has a surface area of about 3,668 sq miles, with an average depth ranging between 5 ft (1.5 m) and 13 ft (4 m). You can see the pink coloration of the algae in this shot from a plane. Photo #48 by Hiltonj

Is this a definitive list of all the pink lakes on earth? Not really as we also ran across this pink Searles Lake near the town of Trona in the Mojave Desert of San Bernardino County, California. The salts flats can appear pink extremely shallow “lakes;” there’s another pink lake in Esperance Western Australia and yet two more near Tailem Bend and Adelaide, Australia. Photo #49 by David~O

One thing is for sure, photographers love pink lakes and we are very grateful for that. As the blessing went in It’s a Wonderful Life, “Bread that this house may never know hunger; salt that life may always have flavor; and wine… that joy and prosperity may reign forever..” Photo #50 by Judith

We came across an image showing the Red Earth landscapes and went hunting for the location. In the southwest of China is Yunnan, a province with renowned natural beauty. Kunming is the capital and largest city in Yunnan. Inside Kunming is the Dongchuan District with its unique Red Land scenery. Photo #2 by China Absolute Tours

Photographers first “discovered” this very rural location with gorgeous scenery in the mid 1990s. China Trekking added, “The first came and scooped award-winning photos, but kept their location a closely guarded secret. But slowly the details leaked and now more and more photographers are making their arduous trip into the arid mountains. The brilliant red soil, the yellow buckwheats and the dramatic skies make the region around Dongchuan a paradise for photographers.” Photo #3 by Lofter

According to China.org, “The land is seldom visited by ordinary tourists for its remoteness and inadequate lodging facilities; however, the picturesque scenery there is paradise for photography fans.” Photo #5 by China.org

A good portion of info about this area comes from travel agencies. Even Wikipedia isn’t exactly sure as it reports: “The area of Dongchuan is, according to some websites, 1858 km², but some websites claim 1674 km². The highest point is 4344 meters high, and lowest is 695 meters. As of 2000 Dongchuan has a population of 275,564. As of 2006, the population was 302,000.” Photo #6 by China Absolute Tours

Dongchuan is a rural place in the “Wumeng Mountainous area, about 180km north of Kunming.” It’s really a sweet spot for photographers. The tourist agency said: “Speaking of Red Soil, the scenery is in fact centralized around Huagou (means colorful valley) of Xintian Township, which is about 50km away from Dongchuan County seat. Those locations are too small to have a name. Locals simply call it 109, 110…the number on the kilometer marker along the road. 109 is almost the highest point on the road, which branches here to another small hamlet. From all around 109 glorious vistas stretch to Guizhou and Sichuan. Dongchuan, as the crow flies not more than 20 kilometres away, is barely visible in the valley far below.” Photo #7 by Yunnan Adventure

Workers in the fields of Dongchuan. But early morning is also prime time for photographers as it’s said the best and most dramatic shots are captured when the first rays of sunshine hit the red earth. Photo #8 by JiKang Lee

According to the travel agency, “The surreal and tempting beauty of this place finally tugs at people’s heartstrings. Photographers and backpackers fumble their way into this less visited site, which is so remote that GPS fails to give decent data, and the slightest miscalculation can result in lost amid the vast wildness; hence, it is no surprise that from time to time, some unlucky souls will go astray.” Photo #9 by Jofee Lee

One 9-day photography tour to the “rust-colored” earth of Dongchuan was described as: “We run this journey early in the springtime, when tendrils of mist hang over the hillsides, when the golden rapeseed blossoms and when the rice fields are at their mirror-like finest.” Photo #10 by China Absolute Tours

The travel agency knows about this place, having both incredible images of a place we hadn’t seen and info like: “To enjoy the beauty of Dongchuan Red Land, time and place really matter. September to December will see the beauty of Dongchuan Red Land culminate. At that time, the red land will be carpeted with rape, potatoes and buckwheat, while the sparsely populated villages will be enveloped by colorful trees. From January to February, wheat will sprout and thrive. The crescent-shaped shimmering rice paddies will mirror the blue sky and the drifting clouds, which are very intoxicating. If you cannot make it from September to February, do not feel upset. May to June will do. For it is the flowering period and harvest season for Brassica napus and wheat respectively. Interspersed with patches of green, purple red, light yellow and golden yellow, Dongchuan Red Land will testify to its enduring fame as ‘Nature’s Heavenly Palette’.” Photo #11 by Yunnan Adventure

Highlights for the Red Earth area are spread out and divided into five different places. For example: “Luoxiagou (Falling Clouds Ditch) is a low land encircled by hills; it stands out as the quintessential part of this area. Vivid and rich colors with the most subtle shades abound here, when coupled with the changing light, a mirage is created.” Photo #12 by JiKang Lee

Beautiful red landscape of the Dongchuan District. Damakan Village was described as “the best site to take some spectacular sunrise photos. You can also immortalize the tranquil village against the idyllic surroundings here. If lucky, you can also capture the early glowing except for the dreamy sunrise. Notice that you need to get up early (5:30am) due to the long distance.” Photo #13 by Walker trackless (行者无路)

Not a morning person wanting to move before dawn? Then Waliangfangzi “is the best place to enjoy the sunset and evening glow. It also offers stunning panoramic view of the surroundings.” Photo #14 by Wasin Waeosri

Traveling through colorful scenery in Kunming, China. Another popular “highlight” stop is Qicaipo (Seven Color Slope) where “you can see the aged giant tree here, which serves as a landmark and a totem meanwhile. Rumors have it that sprouts once bursted out from the withered trucks. Local people often offer sacrifices to this divine tree, praying for luck and health.” Photo #15 by Wasin Waeosri

While some tourist agencies suggest the months to visit are September to December, others list out reasons to visit throughout the years. For example: In May and June, “photographers can capture strongly red fields just after ploughing and before the crops grow, and farming photos. Potato flowers opens in the summer and golden wheat decorates the red fields. With various crop colors, red earth, and blue sky, it’s one of the best times to get blood red field photos.” And from September to November, “autumn is another wonderful season to photo the red fields. Some fields will be turned over for new crops, and there are large expanses of highland barley and wheat. Yunnan’s unique white cole flowers make the fields more colorful. This is another good time you should not miss.” Photo #16 by Lofter

According to tourist Tantiko’s review, “Situated about 4 hrs from Kunming City, DongChuan is a relatively un-commercialized part of Yunnan. Famed for the reddish earth which lends beautiful and contrasting hues against the quiltwork of farmed land and surrounding mountains, DongChuan offers truly colorful and spectacular scenery along with a chance to explore the colorful rural lifestyle of the tribal people of the area. It isn’t unusual to see farmers tilling the fields with their animals and transporting their wares with their horse carts along the roads.” Photo #17 by Shi Chen

Sunset at Luo Xia Valley, Dongchuan, Yunnan. Atlas of Wonders said, “There is some consensus to use the descriptive title of Dongchuan Red Land,” but the “area has also been known as Lexiaguo or Luoxia Gou Valley, which is actually the name of one of the most beautiful places on the route.” Photo #20 by Winters Zhang

Red earth at Hongtudi. Did you know? The rich deposits of copper and iron, mixed with a warm climate, is what gives this soil its unusual yet natural red color. Photo #22 by Dgbouma

Elsewhere, Mr. Mah Teck Oon said of the Red Land heartland that the “landscape was rolling hills, with terraces cut and formed by many generations of farmers. Then as each terrace was planted by different crops and with different levels of maturity, each terrace patch was a different color to the next patch. The harvested patches showed the maroon colored soils clearly to contrast with the various shades of green and yellows. The result was a stunning mix of geometric designs and colors!” Photo #23 by JiKang Lee

China said Dongchuan, a rural area in the northeast of Kunming “is believed to have the world’s most imposing red earth, even more magnificent than that in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.” Let’s take a quick trip to nature that is close enough to Red Land to be on most itineraries when visiting. Photo #24 by Jofee Lee

The 270 million-year-old Stone Forest is also close by; it’s a place where “legend has it that the immortals smashed a mountain into a labyrinth for lovers seeking privacy.” Photo #25 by mikeccross

The photographer noted, “The Immortals’ psychedelic home: ‘The Immortals’ Cave’ at Jiuxiang Diehong Bridge Scenic Area. Jiuxiang is known as the museum of karst caves, with numerous and some of the largest caves in China.” Photo #28 by s tsui

Jingkou Village is yet another place suggested by a travel agency to see when visiting Kunming. The village was called “primitive and un-industrialized,” but known for its “spectacular rice-paddy terracing” that “has been cultivated by the Hani People for 1300 years.” In the winter, the paddies are left filled with water until planting in Spring. Photo #29 by Jialiang Gao

This is Grüner See (Green Lake) in Austria where every spring the ice and snow on the mountaintops melt and part of the park goes underwater; this is when the scuba divers have underwater adventurers where visitors in winter would be walking on dry land. The photographer wrote, “Two weeks ago I was able to walk over this bridge … now everything is under about 6°C (42.8°F) cold water.” Photo #1 by Wolf-Ulf Wulfrolf

Green Lake as the bank and the bench disappear under the mountain runoff. Grüner See is located in Austria about five miles from a little resort town of Tragoess. In autumn, Green Lake “dries out almost completely,” but “in the spring the lake is filled with snow-melt runoff,” which gives the lake crystal clear water. Photo #2 by Erhart Christoph

Here’s the park bench without the flooding. Both the bench and bridge disappear under the melt-water every year. “When the snow begins to melt on the mountain pastures all around, then the water goes on a long journey.” It can reportedly take up to two months for the melt to traverse from the rocks of the mountains bordering the road until it finally emerges from underground sources to light” to form “this unique natural treasure.” Photo #3 by Neo_II

Gruner See in May 2014. According to Austrian Broadcasting ORF Director Gerhard Draxler, “Austria is a treasure trove of natural beauty, but the crown jewels are located in Styria, and the Green Lake is a sparkling diamond adorning these crown jewels.” Photo #6 by Martin Toedtling

Green Lake in August. “The Green Lake is surrounded by forests, is surrounded by rugged cliffs – a unique backdrop, which is reflected in still air in the infinity of water.” Tourism Tragöß’s Carina Tiefenbach explained, “The color comes from the rock at the bottom of the minerals in the water, from all around the forest and the water reflection. The deeper it is, the darker it is.” Photo #10 by Daniela Bergmann

Miniaturized version taken during midsummer when the lake was “severely dehydrated.” Photo #12 by Ewood49

This shot is how the lake looked during October. In the big picture, if you drill down into this location, then Green Lake is in the town of Tragoess (Tragöß), which has a population of 989. That town is in the Austrian state of Styria, which is the second largest of its nine states and has been called the ‘Green Heart’ of Austria due to its large forests and vineyards. The first “surviving written record” about Tragoess traces back to 1023 when it was mentioned by Holy Roman Emperor Henry II. Photo #13 by Tobias Abel

The area around Green Lake was declared a nature reserve in 2006. Although crystal clear, it can appear murky when crowded with divers stirring up the lake. Photo #14 by Georgiy Shalamov

The lake is ranked by divers as one of the top European undersea environments due to the phenomenal underwater visibility. Photo #15 by Gstetti

Lake Lubbers said, “Exquisite yet fleeting are the words that describe Austria’s Green Lake;” and we agree. “One of the most popular activities is scuba diving along the submerged trails. The clarity of the water lends a surreal quality to the underwater landscape, with submerged benches and bushes giving the impression of a slightly-distorted looking glass world. Diving at Green Lake is controlled, and divers must possess the appropriate diver ID card. A hotel-restaurant near the shore offers the only legal access for divers to enter the water and also provides air tank refills and rudimentary gear rental. Underwater photography is popular at Green Lake.” Photo #22 by TauchSport_Steininger

During winter, Green Lake is a very shallow 1 – 2 meters, or 3 – 6 feet. Geographically speaking, Tragoess is located on the top of the valley and it surrounded by the mountains Trenchtling which is 6,827 ft (2,081 m) above sea level, Pribitz which is 5,180 ft (1,579 m) above sea level, and Messnerin which is 6,020 ft (1835 m) above sea level. Those mountains are are part of the Hochschwab (high Schwab) Range in the Northern Limestone Alps of Austria. That makes for a lot of snow-melt come spring, which transforms Green Lake’s surrounding walkways, footbridges and park benches into a fleeting underwater fairy tale that calls out to divers around the world. Photo #23 by x.7994

Green Lake and the surrounding area are a conservation area, meaning open fires and camping on the lake, as well staying in mobile homes, are “strictly prohibited within this area” so as to not destroy the “intact nature.” Photo #24 by Neo_II

“The lake supports a variety of fauna such as snails, water fleas, small crabs, fly larvae, and different species of trout. The flora is not abundant because of the rocky bottom of the lake, but the underwater views are amazing nonetheless,” according to Stunning Places. Photo #25 by Gstetti

Green Lake in June. We came across an unusual tidbit when researching the area; apparently there is still yodelling in Styria and that’s something you rarely hear about in the USA. Different yodels mean different things and it functioned “as a means of communication in mountain areas, from farm to farm, from lodge to lodge, and across the valleys.” Did you know: “Yodelling is one of the oldest forms of communication there is – and probably the loudest that can be achieved with the voice alone…Cattle, too, react to such a call – at least with a shake of the head – and this sets the bell hung around the animal’s neck ringing, as a signal to the herdsman or dairyman.” Photo #30 by Wolf-Ulf Wulfrolf

Prime time to see the underwater phenomena is typically spring, although it’s a hot-spot for tourists from May to early summer. According to Bergsee, “The water level depends on the yearly snow and rainfall. By fall, the water level goes down slowly until in winter the lake nearly disappears completely. This cycle can only take place every year, because of our stabile environnemental situation.” Photo #31 by Herzi Pinki

While documents exist from the year 1023, it’s believed “Tragoess was already inhabited by the Celts. After the barbarian invasions, the area was inhabited by Slavs in the 6th century, who built their houses not on the valley floor, but on the slopes above. The name is probably of Slavic origin, ‘tre’ for three and ‘gozd’ for forest; ‘three forest’ may refer to the three major peaks of Trenchtling, Messnerin and Pribitz.” Photo #32 by Wolf-Ulf Wulfrolf

The lake is not just popular for the sport of scuba diving. A “daredevil climber smashed a ‘waterlining’ world record – tiptoeing an incredible 820.2 feet (250 meters) along a slack line above a beautiful mirrored lake. Extreme sports champion Mich Kemeter, 25, walked the length of almost three football pitches to complete the energy-sapping challenge. It took the Austrian almost 20 attempts – and several falls – over 20 days to break his own record at the Green Lake in Tragoess, Austria. Video #1 by David Unterberg via Mich Kemeter

Once upon a time, or the 1st century A.D., Roman Emperor Tiberius retired to the Isle of Capri, Italy, and used this beautiful Blue Grotto, a sea cave, as his personal swimming pool. Emperor Tiberius loved the Blue Grotto so much that it was his favorite nymphaeum, a temple dedicated to sea nymphs…also described as a sanctuary for water nymphs. Photo #1 by Luftphilia

Blue waters of Grotta Azzurra seem to glow, but the illumination was considered eerie for centuries after Tiberius. The Blue Grotto, known as Gradola long ago to locals, was abandoned and “feared by local sailors because of legends of spirits and demons which inhabited the cave.” But in 1826, the cave was “rediscovered” by German poet and painter August Kopisch and his friend, painter Ernst Fries. Kopisch described its extraordinary beauty in a book; that book caught the interest of Romantics and the Blue Grotto became a major tourist attraction and iconic symbol for Capri ever since then. Photo #2 by dr_tr

While the Blue Grotto is clearly famous, we hadn’t seen pictures of it until looking at Capri’s Lovers Arch, aka “tunnel of love.” Lonely Planet wrote, “Measuring 177 ft (54 m) by 98 ft (30 m) and rising to a height of 49 ft (15 m), the grotto is said to have sunk by up to 65 ft (20 m) in prehistoric times, blocking every opening except the 4 ft (1.3 m) high entrance. And this is the key to the magical blue light. Sunlight enters through a small underwater aperture and is refracted through the water; this, combined with the reflection of the light off the white sandy seafloor, produces the vivid blue effect to which the cave owes its name.” Photo #3 by Jun

In rough seas and high tide, the famous sea cave is not accessible; it has also been closed to tourists in the past due to water pollution in the form of raw sewage. It is not the only sea cave in the Island of Capri and it’s not the only blue grotto in the world, but it’s definitely the most famous. Photo #4 by vgm8383

Let’s zoom way, way out from the prospective of ISS astronauts at night. In the Gulf of Naples, the little Isle of Capri is aglow with lights like the rest of Italy. The Blue Grotto is located on the north-western coast of Capri island. Photo #5 by NASA

Boats below from Anacapri which has a higher elevation than the rest of Capri. Photo #7 by bcaire

View from Villa San Michele towards Marina Grande, the port from which many visitors depart for the Blue Grotto after renting a boat (gozzo) or via private boat. Photo #8 by Elenagm

Entrance to Blue Grotto on a day when the water is calm enough that visitors can go inside. Wikitravel states: “The Blue Grotto is one of those ‘love it’ or ‘loathe it’ places. At peaks times the queue of tour boats and those arriving by land can be 1 to 2 hours long and the total time in the cave is only a few minutes. Some will wonder what all the fuss is about (it’s a cave with a small pool of blue water) and will begrudge the cost and time involved in seeing it. Others adore the place. As your trip finishes, your boat rower will likely ask for a tip (as if you haven’t paid enough for the 20 min service).” Photo #9 by Tony Duckles

Sit in the bottom of the boat and watch your head going through the small opening. Photo #10 by dr_tr

In 1964, archaeologists recovered three statues that had belonged to Emperor Tiberius from the sea bottom. “One sculpture depicts the sea good Neptune, while the other two statues each represented the Greek god Triton, who was the son of Poseidon (Neptune, for the Romans).” In 2012, Discovery reported that during an underwater investigation “aimed at finding the original bases of the three statues, divers found a total of seven bases at a depth of 150 meters (492 feet). This suggests that at least four other statues lie on the cave’s sandy bottom.” Photo #11 by Ellie

A story about Emperor Tiberius: “Dividing his time among 12 villas and orgiastic feasts, the emperor used to bath in the almost hallucinogenic blue light of the cave, swimming among naked boys and girls…those who displeased him were thrown into the sea from a rock near his Villa Jovis.” That, as well as the mysterious blue glowing water, helped fuel the fears and legends about monsters and witches dwelling inside the Blue Grotto. Yet on the other hand, it’s said that photos simply cannot capture the beauty of this grotto. Photo #12 by Pier Nirandara

The Blue Grotto can also be reached by land via Anacapri after walking downhill for about 40 minutes. Expect a plethora of boats, long lines and pocket gouging, according to Virtual Tourist as the Blue Grotto has about 250,000 tourists every year. Photo #13 by אסף.צ

Lined up outside the Blue Grotto. Daniel C. Lavery, a former naval officer turned civil rights attorney, described his visit as: “A boat from Naples drove through splashing waves to the famous Blue Grotto on the Isle of Capri a few miles away. Sunlight passing through an underwater cavity and shining through the seawater, created a blue reflection that illuminated the cavern. The view of the bright coastline scattered with white homes, dazzled under the bright sky, while sail and motor craft left their white wake behind. The turquoise sea shimmered with the flashes of sunlight on wind driven curls rippling the surface. Myths the tour guide shared with us attached to the Grotto predicted good luck to those who swam here.” Photo #15 by Aprile C

Ironically however, swimming in the Blue Grotto is a big no-no, according to Capri insider guide. “Can visitors swim in the Blue Grotto? No, visitors can neither enter the cave by swimming nor disembark from their rowboat to swim inside the cave. However, after the cave closes to the public at 5:30 p.m. (when the rowboats and ticket office close), many swimmers enter the cave by sea. This is both illegal and dangerous, as the cave mouth is low and narrow and in case of high waves it is easy to get thrown against the rocks.” Other sites suggest it is not illegal, but it is dangerous. Photo #16 by Aprile C

The photographer noted, “The entrance to the Blue Grotto was a small opening, and it required careful timing with the rising and falling tide for the oarsmen to pull the boats through via the rope.” Photo #17 by Tony Duckles

Many people are so enchanted with the Blue Grotto that is it on their bucket list of things to do before they die. Yet other people issue a warning: “The scandalous wallet-gouging admission only gets you a quick three-minute row through, the walls echoing unromantically with a half dozen boatfuls of oohing, ahhing tourists and their oarsmen spewing out facts (occasionally true ones) or, even worse, attempting to sing.” Photo #18 by J Rodes

Boating through the luminescent blue water has served as inspiration for countless artists. When Augustus John Cuthbert Hare wrote Cities of Southern Italy and Sicily in 1883, he said, “The first point usually visited in Capri is the Blue Grotto (Grotta Azzurra), which is entered from the sea by an arch under the wall of limestone cliff, only available when the sea is perfectly calm. Visitors have to lie flat down in the boat, which is carried in by the wave and is almost level with the top of the arch. Then they suddenly find themselves in a magical scene. The water is liquid sapphire, and the whole rocky vaulting of the cavern shimmers to its inmost recesses with a pale blue light of marvelous beauty. A man stands ready to plunge into the water when the boats the steamers arrive, and to swim about; his body, in the water, then sparkles like a sea-god with phosphorescent silver; his head, out of the water, is black that that of a Moor. Nothing can exaggerate the beauty of the Blue Grotto, and perhaps the effect is rather enhanced than spoiled by the shouting of the boatmen, the rush of boats to the entrance, the confusion on leaving and reaching the steamers.” Photo #19 by Luftphilia

Hare quotes Hans Christian Anderson’s The Improvisatore as saying, “Instantly we were in a vast vault, where all gleamed like ether. The water below us was like a blue-burning fire, lighting up the whole. All around was closed in; but, beneath the water, the little opening by which we entered prolonged itself almost to the bottom of the sea, forty fathoms in depth, and expanded itself to about the same width. Thus the powerful sunshine outside threw a reflected light upon the floor of the grotto, and streaming in now like fire through the blue water, seemed to change it into burning spirit. Everything gave back the reflection; the rocky arch — all seemed as if formed of consolidated air, and to dissolve away into it. The drops of spray tossed up by the movement of the oars, fell red, like fresh rose leaves. It was a fairy world.” Photo #21 by Tony Duckles

The photographer said, “The water was even more beautiful than this is person!” Photo #22 by Katie

When is the best time of day for viewing? Capri Insider Guide says: “The glowing effect of the water inside the Blue Grotto is due to the sunlight which enters through a second, underwater cave mouth beneath that on the surface. For this reason, the most intense color comes with the most intense sunlight during the midday hours of noon to 2:00 p.m. The difference between the first morning light and the late afternoon light is negligible, though there is often a longer line in the afternoon. It is best to avoid visiting the grotto on overcast days, when there internal glow is much less dramatic.” Photo #23 by Pranav Bhatt

Wonder Mondo does an excellent job explaining the eerie blue illumination of the grotto. The “cave has two entrances – a smaller one (1.5 m wide) at the waterline and at least ten times larger one – below the sea. A small 1 – 2 m thick barrier below the sea level divides both entrances. Thus – a little sunlight enters through the upper hole – and this bright spot of light does not allow to see the large hole below it. A lot more light enters through the enormous underwater hole.” Photo #25 by Glen Scarborough

Alas, “other colors are absorbed in the water and only blue light reaches the interior of the cave. As a result whole 54 m long and up to 15 m deep cave is illuminated with a mysterious, phosphorescent blue light. Visitors to the cave are illuminated from below, and if one puts his hand in the water, the skin is glowing eerily. One more interesting feature is sulphur springs at the bottom of cave – thanks to this the cave is very rich with marine life.” Photo #26 by apeofjungle

The World Digital Library described this grotto as “a natural wonder known for the brilliant and mystical blue hue of the walls and the water within…The cavernous interior, known as the duomo (cathedral), rises from seven to 14 meters (46 feet); the water below is 13 meters (42.6 feet) deep.” While some descriptions stick to the facts, others are almost poetically inspired, and still others delve into the myths surround the Blue Grotto. Photo #27 by Rich Maloy

For example, legends abound about the Blue Grotto according to Savory Adventures: “Was it really the home of the Nereidi–fifty nymphs of the sea in Greek mythology, each of them personified by slow soft waves that brought that brought calm and serenity to those who entered their abodes? You be the judge. According to legend, during moonlit nights, the Nereidi danced and sang in the proximity of the coastline near Positano bay, chosen for its clear waters and excellent acoustics to echo their enchanting songs.” Photo #28 by Tony Duckles

In “The Blue Grotto and the Myth of the Sirens,” Italia Living delightfully related this adventure: “My experience was one of comedy, terror, and awe. It began by the two of us sliding into a small rowboat with a Native Caprese sailor rowing us into the cave. ‘Lay flat and don’t move!’ He ordered. ‘Keep your arms close to your chest!’ I was smushed like a sardine in a little rowboat next to my friend, lying on my back, looking up at the sailor as he tried to navigate this little rowboat over the rolling waves and into the cave’s tiny entrance…The boat smashed into the sides of the rocks and water splashed onto our faces. ‘This is it,’ I thought. ‘I’m going to die on my way into the Blue Grotto.’ The sailor was holding on tight to a thick metal chain that was attached to the inside of the grotto, ready to force the boat through the hole.” Photo #29 by Tony Duckles

Italia Living’s Valeria Carrano continued: “All of a sudden I heard a bang, felt the boat surge forward, and then we were engulfed in darkness. I opened my eyes and saw the most intense blue light I had ever seen shining up through the water. ‘Hurry, jump! Hurry Hurry!’ The fisherman was saying in a ‘whisper-scream,’ as swimming in the grotto is strictly forbidden. The next thing I knew, I was flying through the air and into the water. I popped up and looked around. I was the only one swimming in this dark cave with blue light shining all around me. Another splash and my friend was bobbing next to me. I was terrified of what sea creatures may have been swimming below, but excited about the fact that I was submerged in this electrifying grotto…Looking back, it was two minutes of sheer panic and laughter all rolled into one.” Photo #30 by S J Pinkney

Several pictures show the light coming through the sea cave opening, but travelers Chrissy and Lindsay explained their experience as: “Once inside the grotto we saw the luminescent blue water which makes the grotto so famous. It literally looked like it was glowing in the dark, as the rest of the cave was pitch black. There were about 7 rowboats inside of the grotto at once and we spent about 5-6 minutes in there. The men rowing us through began singing and it echoed creating a beautiful song.” Photo #31 by paul.hartrick

Again and again people see “tunnels of love” that a less imaginative person, or one not in love, might see only as a tunnel of some sort. However, the leafy green arches over a railway track in Ukraine make up a real Tunnel of Love. Photo #1 by Livincool

Yet people are awesome as some can see a Tunnel of Love where others might see only a tunnel like this one at Waterloo in London, England. When photographers believe their shot is a tunnel of love, is that because some are inspired by art? There are numerous songs titled Tunnel of Love, a Bruce Springsteen album and even his music tour, plus a film, a novel, a Broadway play and an amusement park boat ride. Photo #2 by Davide D’Amico

Whether it’s a matter of being crazy in love, or perhaps ruled by hormones, humans have the tendency to see potential tunnels of love all over the place. This urbex shot of a forgotten pedestrian tunnel has “love” painted on the wall; it would be easy to understand how this could be called a tunnel of love. Photo #3 by Christine Pfeffer

Thousands of fluorescent heart-shaped stickers are on the ceiling, walls and pavement of a bicycle tunnel lit only by black-lights. Studio Vollaerszwart in the Netherlands transformed the tunnel into a glowing Tunnel of Love. Photo #4 by Jos Dielis

We found it interesting to see what photographers tag as being a tunnel of love. To the photographer, this Eastbourne UK path was one. Photo #5 by Steve Slater

In music, Tunnel of Love is a 1980 Dire Straits song; a 1987 Bruce Springsteen album; a title song from the album; a Tunnel of Love Express Tour by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band; a 1996 EP by Insane Clown Posse; a 1983 song by Fun Boy and a 2000 song by Westlife. To the photographer, this is a Tunnel Of Love with “heaps of graffiti.” Photo #6 by darkday

This shot from Glen Echo in Clintonville (Columbus) Ohio was dubbed a tunnel of love. For so few places actually named Tunnel of Love, we seem to love the phrase. It’s even seeped into the game Left 4 Dead 2, such as when Ellis says, “I ever tell you about the time my buddy Keith drowned in the Tunnel of Love? You wouldn’t think it could happen ’cause the water’s so shallow, but that’s how it gets you, man. Overconfidence. Keith was with his lady at the time, and he was yellin’ for her to save him, but she didn’t want to get wet.” Photo #8 by plainpaul

The photographer was inspired to think this bridge in Glasgow seemed like a tunnel of love. For the Dire Straits, the song Tunnel of Love was inspired by “the fairground at the Spanish City in Whitley Bay.” Mark Knopfler, who wrote the song, lived about 10 miles away from the fair and it “may have been what inspired him to pursue a musical career; he said once that it was the first place he heard rock ‘n’ roll played really loud. It would eventually close, but for a while ‘Tunnel Of Love’ became its unofficial anthem.” Photo #9 by Paul Coyne

Boating through the tunnel of love in the Isle of Capri. The photographer said, “A kiss in the tunnel of love will apparently seal your futures together. Utter bollocks, but fun.” Photo #12 by Will

Meanwhile in Arnedillo, Spain, the photographer called this shot a tunnel of love. The following are all calledThe Tunnel of Love: a 1954 novel by Peter De Vries; a 1958 film starring Doris Day; a 1957 Broadway play by De Vries and Joseph Fields that was the basis for the film. Even Alfred Hitchcock included a shadowy “Tunnel of Love” scene in his 1951 film Strangers on a Train. Photo #13 by Manuel Fernandez

Hartland covered bridge in New Brunswick, Canada, is the longest covered bridge. At 1,283 ft (391 m) long, it may have been used as a tunnel of love more than once. Springsteen’s “song notes that it is all too easy for two people to lose each other on the ‘funhouse ride’ of marriage,” noted Wikipedia. “The singer feels that marriage should be simple (‘man meets woman and they fall in love’), but recognizes that along the way the ride can become difficult and unpredictable.” Photo #14 by Dennis Jarvic

This tunnel of love is under Rt 25 at the Batavia Branch of the Illinois Prairie Path. And to think, some folks say romance is dead. ;-p Photo #16 by Steve Krave

Why is this Rochdale Canal path in Manchester UK considered a tunnel of love? The photographer noted, “Syringes and condoms litter this tunnel just outside the city center.” Photo #17 by andy lapham

“Tunnel of Love” on The Strip in Las Vegas. Did you know? Songfacts: Regarding Springsteen’s song Tunnel of Love, it was “one of the last songs recorded for Tunnel Of Love,” and he liked the title enough to use it as the name of the album. He “was inspired by the amusement rides on the boardwalk of Asbury Park, New Jersey, where Springsteen hung out and gigged growing up. He used the ‘Tunnel Of Love’ ride as a metaphor for the ups and downs of a relationship. The amusement park that helped inspire this is over 100 years old. It is in the New Jersey Register of Historic Places.” Photo #18 by Thomas Hawk

Kijkduin Fortress, a seaside Napoleonic fort near the city of Den Helderin the Netherlands, was called a tunnel of love by the photographer. Photo #19 by Mike Bing

Tunnel of Love created by gorgeous wisteria during spring in Japan at Kawachi Fuji Gardens. According to the book Bruce Springsteen, Cultural Studies, and the Runaway American Dream, Bruce Springsteen said he responded to the “hype generated by Born in the USA with Tunnel of Love, a subdued mediation on marriage and romance haunted by characters filled with self-doubt.” He “hoped the somber, introspective mood of Tunnel of Love would lead his audience to question his status as a heroic and flawless cultural icon.” Photo #20 by Binary cse

Tunnel of Love, 3D graphic design. Want to take a ride through it with a special someone? In the 19th century, between 1880 and 1900, there were dark boat rides at amusement parks; they were known as a Tunnel of love ride. Wikipedia explained, “In its earliest incarnations, riders were taken by two-passenger boats through dark passages. There were two major themes: a relaxing romantic ride encouraging the couple to cuddle, or a spooky horror ride encouraging the couple to cling to one another. The darkness provided a degree of privacy and the frightening scenes offered a socially acceptable ‘excuse’ for the physical contact at a time when public affection or even holding hands was considered inappropriate. With the development of other socially acceptable opportunities and less stigma for unmarried couples to engage in physical contact, these rides have became less popular and were either re-themed into children’s attractions or torn down completely.” Photo #22 by Jamie Durrant

This shot is of a miniature Tunnel of Love at House on the Rock. Did you know? Disney’s It’s a Small World ride is a type of river cave ride, a ride that is also called a Tunnel of Love. Photo #24 by cjggbella

This section of green tunnel through the forest is only 1.86 miles (3 kilometers) long, but it’s a favorite spot for lovers as couples come here to make a wish…as romantic legend goes like this: if they are sincere in their love then their wish will come true. Photo #29 by serhei

The reality of this tunnel is less romantic since a train uses the old railway line three times a day to deliver wood and raw materials to factories. The rest of the time, however, it is a popular places with tourists who can’t pass up the opportunity for a romantic walk through the Tunnel of Love. Photo #30 by Serhei & #31 by SvetaBerry

“For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it,” ~ quote by Ivan Panin. Photo #33 by iSavoch

Institut de France in Paris at night with love padlocks covering both sides of Pont des Arts pedestrian bridge…before the romantic gesture was banned and the railings were replaced with glass. Love locks can be found all around the world such as Australia, Austria, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, New Zealand, Poland, Russia, Servia, Solvenia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, United Kingdom and the USA. Photo #1 by Xynn Tii

Love Locks on Hohenzollern Bridge near Cologne Cathedral in Germany. The bridge is 1,342.5 ft (409.19 m) long and people have placed love padlocks on the fence between the footpath and the railway lines since 2008. Photo #2 by Marc Oliver John

“Once in awhile, right in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives us a fairy tale,” ~ Anonymous. Love padlocks in front of Neuschwanstein castle in Germany. The photographer noted that the locks of love were hanging all over the Marienbrücke bridge, in front of the Neuschwanstein castle, and that shows us how much people love to fall in love at this destination. Photo #3 by Freddy Enguix

Plenty of places have been embroiled in controversy: “In Bamberg, Germany, after inviting the public to attach love locks on the Kettenbrücke in 2011, officials threatened to remove them during the same year due to rust. After public outrage and several township meetings, the locks remain.” Photo #4 by Frank Vincentz

Love padlocks in Ottawa, Canada. Once upon a time, Dr. Seuss said, “You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.” Photo #7 by Bust it Away Photography

Love locks – place for lovers. While some people believe having the lock cut open could mean something bad will happen to their relationship, others think love locks are an eyesore and proclaim messages like “free your love, save our bridges.” Photo #9 by Mark

Bridge of Love (Most Ljubavi in Vrnjačka Banja) in Serbia is where the lock padlock tradition is supposed to have started 100 years ago or so. The story goes: “A local schoolmistress named Nada, who was from Vrnjačka Banja, fell in love with a Serbian officer named Relja. After they committed to each other Relja went to war in Greece where he fell in love with a local woman from Corfu. As a consequence, Relja and Nada broke off their engagement. Nada never recovered from that devastating blow, and after some time she died due to heartbreak from her unfortunate love. As young women from Vrnjačka Banja wanted to protect their own loves, they started writing down their names, with the names of their loved ones, on padlocks and affixing them to the railings of the bridge where Nada and Relja used to meet.” Photo #10 by Aca Srbin & #11 by White Writer

Bridge of Love in Helsinki, Finland. That’s a lot of commitments. “The greatest achievement in my life thus far has been to love you and be loved by you,” ~ Author Unknown. Photo #12 by Rémi Lanvin

On the River Torrens, behind the University of Adelaide in Australia. More controversy: “Authorities in Canberra, Australia, decided in February 2015 to remove love locks from a bridge that was becoming a popular location to affix them, and from other locations in Canberra. Justifications given for the decision were the possibility of future threats to public safety from eventual overloading of the bridge with a mass of padlocks, and structural interference resulting from corrosion. A bridge in Paris was mentioned by authorities as an example of an overloaded bridge, a probable reference to the Pont des Arts.” Photo #14 by wanderviolet

Love locks on Butchers Bridge in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The photographer noted, “Ljubljana is the capital and largest city of Slovenia. Located in the middle of a trade route between the northern Adriatic Sea and the Danube region, it has been a historical capital of the Carniola, a Slovene-inhabited part of Austria-Hungary and is now the cultural, educational, economic, political and administrative center of Slovenia, independent since 1991.” Photo #15 by Beraldo Leal

“Paris has been trying to get rid of them for years. New York has an organized group that picks them off the Brooklyn Bridge. Canada, Dublin and even Canberra frown upon them for being an eyesore and damaging to public property, but Perth is falling over itself to get it happening.” The solution is to charge couples $30 to have a heart-shaped lock attached to the Bell Tower. Photo #16 by teresa de pizzol

“Dreamcatcher.” ABC reported, “Pont des Arts is a lightweight pedestrian bridge” where a section collapsed under the weight of the 1,543.24 pounds (700 kg) of love locks; another section collapsed six months later. City officials in Paris tried to put an end to the custom, saying some railing have over 1102.31 lb (500 kg) before they were removed. The custom in Paris started “appearing on bridges in Paris around 2008, shortly after young couples in Italy began attaching padlocks to the Ponte Milvio, a bridge over Rome’s Tiber River, apparently mimicking the protagonists of a popular Italian novel.” Photo #17 by Nwardez

Love lock by the sea in Spain. The photographer said, “The viewpoint of Salinas has a circular railing. There have been many people to symbolize what may last more or less than the object used as a symbol. The sea salt claims everything is left near, even steel. In this railing the locks have a thick oxide layer that obscures the details. These must be recent as you can see the colorful paint … I did not know that there were specific padlocks to symbolize Love.” Photo #19 by Oiluj Samall Zeid

Love Locks in Covent Garden, London, supporting the British Heart Foundation. The UK had a “mystery artist” in Dundee leaving small padlocks all around the city. Each lock has 2 keys and a message on the back such as ‘Free Love’, ‘Do Something Special’ and ‘Try To Inspire’. Photo #24 by Garry Knight

A sighting guide to love locks on Hohenzollern Bridge said, “Experts estimate that the padlocks weigh over two tons. And more padlocks appear on a daily basis, as not just the residents of Cologne, but also tourists want to become part of the tradition.” Photo #25 by Fredrik Andersson

Luzhkov Bridge in Moscow. The trees allow lovers to hang locks while not damaging the bridge. Why do thousands upon thousands all over the world hang locks? If Aristotle is right, then “love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.” Photo #26 by Jason Eppink

Love locks sealed on scenic path up Mount Huangshan in China. After “love locks” were discovered on the 100-meter-long Waibaidu Bridge, which was 106-years-old, Shanghai workers were prying them off. Security guards were posted and the locks are now considered vandalism. Photo #28 by tela88

The photographer noted, “Nearly every metal chain-link fence or metal pole in Mount Huang, China has been adorned with padlocks.” Photo #29 by Asep Noor

In Paris, tourists had attached thousands upon thousands of locks since 2008. By 2012, the number of locks locked upon locks locked upon locks was “overwhelming.” In February 2014, it was estimated that there were over 700,000 locks. In June 2014, part of the bridge collapsed under the weight of all the love padlocks. The custom of attaching a love lock to the bridge and then tossing the key into the Seine river below was considered a romantic gesture symbolizing a couple’s committed love. By September 2014, glass panels were installed on Paris’ Pont des Arts bridge to stop lovers from attaching ‘love locks’ to the railings; the panels were tagged with graffiti. The love padlock area, like Banksy’s graffiti, is loved by some people who call it art and hated by others who call it vandalism. Photo #31 by Bruce Ingwall

Paris love padlocks with Notre Dame. “Before you marry a person, you should first make them use a computer with slow Internet to see who they really are,” ~ quote by Will Ferrell. Photo #32 by Jean-François Schmitz

Meanwhile in Amsterdam, the photographer said, “The love locks on bridge 227 have all been recently painted teal, maybe to keep track of the rate with which locks are added, or perhaps just in an act of vandalism. Whether the locks themselves are in fact the original act of vandalism begs the question though ;).” Photo #33 by peterned

Love locks in Hungary. “Chains do not hold a marriage together. It is threads, hundreds of tiny threads which sew people together through the years,” ~ by Simone Signoret. Photo #34 by pdvos

Love locks strung along the Wild Pacific Trail in Ucluelet (Vancouver Island, British Columbia). According to Wikipedia, “In Canada, love padlocks appearing along the Wild Pacific Trail in Ucluelet on Vancouver Island, have caused controversy as some regard them as a distraction from nature. Love padlocks were removed from the Humber Bridge due to concerns over aesthetics and structural concerns if the Bridge were to become a love padlock destination.” Photo #35 by Ingrid Taylar

Love you in Zurich. “Love at first sight is easy to understand; it’s when two people have been looking at each other for a lifetime that it becomes a miracle,” ~ Sam Levenson. Photo #36 by Mrs. G.G.

Big Love. One of the love lock legends comes from Fengyuan, Taiwan, where “love padlocks affixed to an overpass at the city’s train station are often affixed in pairs. These locks are known as ‘wish locks’ and local legend holds that the magnetic field generated by trains passing underneath will cause energy to accumulate in the locks and fulfill the wishes.” Photo #38 by Vladislav N.

Selma and Thomas’ Love immortalized on the bridge with a lizard love padlock. Did you know? Masked gunmen tore down and threw away the wire mesh that held love locks on an Iraqi bridge? That was after a party to inaugurate the Love Bridge…after word spread, the man who started the project “received a death threat in the form of a bullet in an envelope enclosed with a note that read: ‘We advise you to stay away from that bridge, it could be dangerous for you’.” Photo #40 by BellaGaia

This is Frankfurt, but in Dublin, Ireland: “padlocks on the Ha’penny Bridge, River Liffey were taken down by Dublin City Council in early 2012. The padlocks could damage the protected structure, the Council has said. ‘This seems to have only started happening in the last few months and we’re asking people not to do it,’ said a spokesperson for Dublin City Council. Some locks have also been removed from the Millennium Bridge, close to the Ha’penny Bridge in the city center, the Council said. The padlocks have been criticized for being an eyesore on public structures. They can also cause further damage when they have to be removed, the Council said. The spokesperson confirmed that the Council will continue to remove the locks from any bridges they appear on in the city center.” Photo #41 by Jeremy Brooks

This is Prague, but another love lock legend comes from Uruguay: “On a fountain in Montevideo in Uruguay, a plaque is affixed to the front of the fountain that provides an explanation in both English and Spanish. The English version of the text reads, ‘The legend of this young fountain tells us that if a lock with the initials of two people in love is placed in it, they will return together to the fountain and their love will be forever locked’.” Photo #42 by Bora Sıpal

Large wooden love padlock on the bridge, Ljubljana Castle. “Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” — I Corinthians 13:7. Photo #43 by Ulleskelf

Locks for lovers are allowed in the Czech Republic, but in Washington D.C. during August 2014: “The D.C. Department of Transportation removed the dozens of ‘love locks’ that started popping up on the Key Bridge.” When “Asked if DDOT will do anything to prevent couples from placing more locks on the Key Bridge in particular, he simply replied: ‘DDOT will take measures to protect the integrity of the bridge structure’.” Photo #44 by Brian Jeffery Beggerly

The photographer wrote, “Tens of thousands of padlocks hung on the Hohenzollernbrucke a habit that followed in many cities like the phenomenon has supplanted the engagement ring. The origin is probably from Italy but there are other countries that claim the origin.” Photo #49 by Roel Wijnants

“It is a curious thought, but it is only when you see people looking ridiculous that you realize just how much you love them,” ~ Agatha Christies. Photo #50 by Hector Vale

]]>Thrill Seekers: Virtual Ride on Highest Ranked Roller Coasters in 2015 [PICS, VIDEOS]http://www.lovethesepics.com/2015/01/thrill-seekers-virtual-ride-on-highest-ranked-roller-coasters-in-2015-pics-videos/
2015-01-31T23:52:52ZRoller Coaster Database, and there are other rankings for steepness, as well as thrill seekers voting for their favorite adrenaline rush roller coaster. Although amusement parks compete to build the tallest, fastest, and longest rides, those records rarely last long before another park beats that record. Here are the Inverted, Wing Coaster, Flying, Suspended, Stand Up, Sit Down and 4th Dimension roller coaster world record holders for 2015. Buckle up and take a virtual ride on the highest ranked roller coasters in the world. [71 Photos & 23 POV Videos]
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Thrill seekers have traveled thousands of miles to ride thousands of roller coasters. Although amusement parks compete to build the tallest, fastest, and longest rides, those records rarely last long before another park builds a roller coaster that beats that record. Photo #1 by James Loesch

Do daredevils consider potential roller coaster accidents before boarding? No worries, as accidents are uncommon. This one was photoshopped. Amusement parks and resorts market their roller coasters so it stands out for thrill seekers, but sometimes those tactics cause disputes as to if the roller coaster is really the fastest, highest, or whatever its claim to fame. Without further ado, here come the world’s top record holders from the roller coasters rankings for 2015, followed by a virtual ride on each. Photo #2 by v i p e z

Kingda Ka is located at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey. It is the world’s tallest steel roller coaster at 456 ft (139 m), the world’s second fastest, and holds the world strata coaster record for the longest steel roller coaster drop of 418 ft (127 m). Each train holds 18 people, with an hourly rate of about 1,400 riders; the ride lasts only 28 seconds from the start of the launch, but riders experience a G-force of 5. The Kingda Ka “U-shaped track bolts up 45 stories in the sky!” Six Flags added, “You’ll leave the station going from 0 to 128 miles per hour in a jaw-dropping 3.5 seconds. You race 90 degrees straight up and then plummet from the top right back down in a 270-degree spiral. You’ll top it off with a 129-foot camel hump.” Photo #3 by Theme Park Review & #4 (Top Right before Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom) by Coasterman1234 & #5 by Theme Park Review

Virtual ride on Kingda Ka in 2014 after the addition of the world’s tallest and fastest drop ride, Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom! (It’s a separate ride). For all of these videos, we highly recommend that you change to settings to HD and then go full screen. Video #1 by Six Flags Great Adventure

At 197 ft (60 m), Colossos is the world’s tallest wooden roller coaster. It’s located at Heide Park in Germany. It opened in 2001 and held the record for steepest wooden roller coaster until 2003 when Balder in the Swedish amusement park Liseberg stole the steepest wooden coaster title. Riders experience 3.8 Gs during the 2:25 thrill ride. Colossos is 4,409 ft (1,344 m) long, goes 68.4 mph (110.1 km/h), and its two trains hold 30 people per train so it can handle 1,500 riders per hour. The park use to advertise that Colossos had a top speed of 120 km/h, but has since revised the speed. Besides being the tallest, this wooden coaster is ranked in 3rd place for fastest; it will drop another place when Wildfire in Kolmården Wildlife Park, Sweden, is completed. The drop of 159 ft (48 m) ranks Colossos as 4th for longest wooden roller coaster drop, but Wildfire will soon send it to 5th. The 1/3 scale Statue of Liberty replica used to stand tall in the lake, but it was dismantled and part of it was moved inside Colossos. Photo #6 by Michael Welsing & #7 by Stefan Scheer

Buckle up POV! GoPro Hero 3: “Onride on Colossos, a wooden roller coaster at Heide Park in Soltau, Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the first wooden roller coaster to use prefabricated track…The ‘Plug and Play’ aspect of the coaster speeds construction, since track does not have to be completely manufactured on site. In addition, building costs are lowered due to fewer man-hours being required. The riders benefit from a coaster, that while being wooden, is nearly steel smooth.” Video #2 by PARALAX’s kunterbunte Videowelt

Since June 2014, Goliath at Six Flags Great America holds the record for the world’s longest wooden roller coaster drop of 180 ft (55 m) as well as the world’s fastest wooden roller coaster for it’s 72 mph (116 km/h) speed. Goliath ranks 4th for tallest wooden coasters, but will drop to 5th when the wooden roller coaster Wildfire is completed. The length is 3,100 ft (940 m), over which there are 2 inversions, a maximum vertical angel of 85 degrees, and the ride lasts for 1:45. There are 2 trains, each holding a total of 24 riders, for a capacity of 1,000 riders per hour. Photo #8 by Theme Park Review & Photo #9 by Theme Park Review & Photo #10 by Theme Park Review & Photo #11 by Theme Park Review

The Smiler, located at Alton Towers theme park in Staffordshire, United Kingdom, holds the world record for most inversions on a steel roller coaster. If upside-down is your thing, then The Smiler should thrill you as riders flip upside-down 14 times during a 2:45 ride! The roller coaster is 3,8340 ft (1,170 m) long, reaches a height of 72 ft (22 m) with the longest drop being 98.4 ft (30 m). Riders experience a G-Force of 4.5 and reach a top speed of 53 mph (85 km/h) through a Heartline Roll, Lift Hill, Corkscrew Dive, Loop Dive, Loop Dive, Loop Sidewinder, Corkscrew, Vertical Lift Hill, Corkscrew Roll, Over Cobra Roll, Corkscrew and another Corkscrew. After opening in May 2013, some people have waited in line over 4 hours to ride this record breaker. As if flipping that much isn’t enough, The Smiler has a “large spider-like structure serves as a center-point for the coaster track. Called ‘The Marmaliser,’ it has 5 legs, each with a distinct function to manipulate riders into ‘smiling.’ It is also equipped with a wraparound screen, which displays graphics and video relating to the theme of the ride. The roller coaster intertwines within the structure causing greater interaction with riders to enhance the experience.” Photo 12 by tijd is vluchtig & #13 by TowersStreet & #14 by Michael Garnet

Formula Rossa is crazy-fast at 149 mph (239 km/h), so it holds the world’s fastest steel roller coaster record with that top speed. It’s located in Ferrari World amusement park in in Abu Dhabi. Formula Rossa has been the fastest steel coaster since November 2010. The steel track is 6,790 ft (2,070 m) long, with a max height of 171 ft (50 m) and max drop of 169 ft (51.5 m). 16 riders per train launch from 0 to 149 mph (0 to 240 km/h) in 4.8 seconds. Photo #15 by Phil & Photo #16 by Stdragon04 & #17 by Phil

Steel Dragon 2000 is the longest roller coaster in the world. Located in Nagashima Spa Land amusement park, in Japan, it required more steel than most since it had to include earthquake protection. During the 4 minute ride over its 8,133 ft (2,479 m) track, riders go through 2 tunnels, up 318 ft (97 m), experience a maximum vertical angle of 65 degrees, racing along at 95 mph (153km/h) — a top speed that ranks it as sixth fastest in the world. Although Steel Dragon, which opened in 2000 during “Year of the Dragon,” is the tallest coaster using a tradition chain lift, it will drop to 2nd as Fury 325 will beat its design height by 7 feet. Fury will also have the same speed as Steel Dragon 2000. Photo #18 by Holiday Point & #19 by Janma & #20 by David Morton

Full Throttle, at Six Flags Magic Mountain in California, holds the world record for having the tallest vertical loop, 160 feet (49 m) high, and ranks 2nd for tallest roller coaster inversion. There is 2,200 ft (670 m) of steel track for the 1:30 ride that launches to 70 mph (110 km/h). There are two inversions, and the riders go both forward and backward. Full Throttle’s claim to fame is its world’s tallest vertical loop which is used twice per ride. It opened in June 2013 and has a capacity of 800 riders per hour. Photo #21 by METRO96 & #22 by Matthew Nelson & #23 by Jeremy Thompson

At 7,359 ft (2,243 m), The Beast is the longest wooden roller coaster in the world. It’s located at Kings Island, an amusement park northeast of Cincinnati, Ohio. When the ride opened in 1979, it was the longest, tallest, and fastest wooden roller coaster in the world. It’s still the longest, spread out over 35 acres, to deliver 4:10 of ride time. After more than 30 years, over 50 million people are believed to have ridden The Beast. View of Vortex (foreground) and The Beast (background) from Eiffel tower at Kings Island. In 2000, Son of Beast launched as another wooden coaster record breaker, the first to feature a loop (inversion), and the first wooden hypercoaster — having a 214 ft drop, but after two non-fatal accidents, the ride was closed in 2009 and demolished in 2012. Photo #24 by Warren County CVB & #25 by Eli Duke & #26 by mattdelsander

Takabisha, the world’s steepest steel roller coaster, is located at the Fuji-Q Highland theme park in Yamanashi, Japan. The 2:40 ride begins with a sudden drop into pitch black darkness, covers 3,330 feet (1,000 m) of steel track, has 7 inversions, goes 62 mph (100 km/h), is 141 ft (43 m) tall, and accelerates from 1 – 62 mph in 2 seconds. As for it’s claim to fame, at a height of 141 ft, Takabisha drops a record-breaking 121° — making it a ‘beyond-vertical’ drop. Steepness is not a ranking in the RCDB, which lists record holders based on speed, height, length, drop and inversions. Photo #30 by Alex Brogan & #31 by calltheambulance & #32 by Edmund

Takabisha, which opened in July 2011, at Fuji-Q Highland in Japan; it is the world’s steepest roller coaster with a 121 degree beyond vertical first drop! Video #10 by Theme Park Review

GateKeeper, at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, has the world’s tallest roller coaster inversion of 164-foot (50 m), meaning that is its maximum height above the ground while upside-down. This coaster opened in May 2013 as the fifth Wing Coaster in the world, but also broke Wing Coaster records for height, speed, track length, drop height and the number of inversions. RCDB ranks it 1st for Wing Coaster due to its 6 inversions, also listing its lift hill height as 170 ft (52 m) tall. GateKeeper has 4,164 ft (1,269 m) of track, placing it in 2nd for Wing Coaster length, and riders travel through two keyhole towers. At a top speed of about 67 mph (108 km/h), riders experience 4 Gs during the 2:40 ride. About 1,710 thrill seekers ride on GateKeeper per hour. Photo #33 by tracy the astonishing & #34 by Jeremy Thompson & #35 by Jeremy Thompson

Outlaw Run has 3 inversions, the most inversions on a wooden roller coaster. That record will be tied in 2016 by another extreme wooden coaster called Wildfire in Sweden. However, Silver Dollar City theme park at the Branson, Missouri, announced that Outlaw Run’s 81-degree steepest drop will be listed in the Guinness World Records 2015 for the first time as the record holder for Steepest Wooden Roller Coaster. Wikipedia lists Goliath at the top for steepest at 85 degrees, adding that Outlaw Run was the steepest when it debuted. Nevertheless Outlaw Run is currently the only wooden roller coaster to twist upside down three times over the length of its 2,937 ft (895 m) track; it also has a top speed of 68 mph (109 km/h), has a height of 107 ft (33 m) and a drop of 162 ft (49 m). 2 trains run, each with 24 people, for a ride time of 1:27. Photo #36 by Missouri Division of Tourism & #37 by Silver Dollar City & #38 by Silver Dollar City

Fury 325 is set to be the tallest giga-coaster in the world when it opens this Spring at Carowinds amusement park located in both North and South Carolina. The roller coaster will operate with three 32-passenger trains, each containing eight cars that fit 4 riders in a row. Fury 325 is 6,602 feet (2,012 m) long and a record 325 feet (99 m) high. Approximately 1,470 riders per hour will experience 3:25 of ride time, reaching speeds of 95 mph (153 km/h) as it goes through high speed curves, and a pass over and under the park’s main entrance. Photo #39 by Carowinds & #40 by Carowinds via Theme Park Review & #41 by Carowinds

Although the roller coaster database does not rank 4D roller coasters, Eejanaika, at the Fuji-Q Highland park in Japan, has a whopping 14 inversions. “There is considerable debate within the roller coaster community as to whether or not the spinning of these coasters qualifies as an inversion for the purpose of records. Guinness World Records gave Eejanaika the record with 14 inversions. However, other more coaster-specific record bodies such as the Roller Coaster Database do not recognize this claim and instead count only track inversions, which gives the record of 14 to The Smiler.” RCDB ranks Eejanaika as 1st for Wing Coaster maximum height of 249.3 ft. Photo #42 by FullyFunctnlPhil & #43 by Derek F. DiMatteo & #44 by Jordi Sanchez Teruel

4D roller coaster POV from riding on Eejanaika. So 14 inversions while the seats rotate forward or backward 360 degrees in a controlled spin. Video #14 by thrillridepark

Top speed for a Wing Coaster goes to Furius Baco located at PortAventura Park in Spain. It zooms along at 83.9 mph (135.0 km/h), going 0 – 83.9 mph in 3.5 seconds. During the 55 seconds of ride time, thrill seekers experience 4.7 Gs and 1 inversion over 2,788.8 ft (850.01 m) of track. Photo #45 by Salvador Canet & #46 by Lmbuga & #47 by Tim Collins

Ranked 1st for its Wing Coaster drop of 215 ft (66 m) is X2 at Six Flags Magic Mountain in California. It has a length of 3,610 ft (1,100 m), height of 190 ft (58 m), goes 76 mph (122 km/h) with a max vertical angle of 88.5°. X2 is a revamped version of X, but the redesign made X2 the world’s first 4th Dimension roller coaster. The 2 minute ride has 2 inversions and up to 1,600 riders per hour experience 4 Gs. X2 opened in 2008 and included special effects from a pair of flame throwers. Photo #51 by Jeremy Thompson & #52 by Beaster725 & #53 by Jeremy Thompson

Looking down the road at roller coasters that will be built, you can bet that many will try to find a marketing angle to make their coaster stand out to thrill seekers, even if it doesn’t unseat the highest ranked record-breakers. That’s not the case with Skyscraper roller coaster, which will be the world’s tallest Polercoaster; it’s set for a 2017 opening at the $250 million Skyplex indoor entertainment complex in Orlando. “Skyscraper’s observation deck will offer views 535 feet from the ground and will be accessible by the region’s tallest glass elevators.” 850 – 1,600 passengers per hour will go up to 570 feet, while the roller coaster is executing loops, dives, spirals and inversions all on the exterior of the tower during a four-minute ride that will deliver a maximum g-force 4 Gs. Photo #69 by US Thrill Rides & #70 by US Thrill Rides & #71 by Skyplex

Track layout and point of view for Skyscraper, which will be the world’s tallest roller coaster in 2017. “Skyscraper will not only take riders higher than ever before, but also introduce one thrill right after the next – there’s no ‘down time’ on this four minute coaster experience,” said Michael Kitchen, President of US Thrill Rides. “It is an absolute cutting-edge engineering marvel that will deliver pure adrenaline unlike any roller coaster in the world today.” Video #23 by Theme Park Review